Clashes near KCR's farmhouse as Congress, Dalit groups protest; KTR, Harish Rao detained
Congress and Dalit workers clashed with police and BRS supporters near KCR's farmhouse during a protest; BRS leaders KTR and Harish Rao were detained.
Tension gripped the area around former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao's farmhouse at Erravelli in Siddipet district on Tuesday as Congress workers and Dalit organisations attempted to march towards the premises. The protest, termed a 'Chavu Dappu' (funeral drum-beating) demonstration, was held against alleged derogatory remarks made by BRS leaders against the Dalit community.
Congress MLAs Vemula Veeresham and Veerlapally Shankar were among those who joined the march. Police stopped hundreds of protesters at several checkpoints, leading to scuffles between BRS workers and demonstrators. The protesters later staged a sit-in several hundred metres from the farmhouse, beating drums and raising slogans. A few police personnel reportedly sustained minor injuries.
Former Gajwel MLA Tumkunta Narsa Reddy, who was injured during the scuffle, was shifted to NIMS for treatment.
Meanwhile, BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao and former Minister T. Harish Rao left the Assembly and headed towards Erravelli upon learning of the protest. Police intercepted the leaders and other BRS legislators at Hakimpet, leading to a verbal altercation. KTR was taken to Bowenpally police station, while Harish Rao was moved to Jawaharnagar police station.
The BRS leaders alleged that Congress protesters were being allowed to approach the farmhouse under police protection, while they were being prevented from reaching the spot. Harish Rao, in a post on X, tagged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and alleged that Congress MLAs were being escorted to target the Leader of the Opposition's residence. He also claimed the Chief Minister had encouraged attacks on KCR and sought the Centre's intervention, stating that any attack on the Leader of the Opposition would amount to an assault on democracy.
Several other BRS leaders were detained or placed under house arrest in Hyderabad and other districts to prevent them from travelling to Erravelli. Later, TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud and Ministers Ponnam Prabhakar and Vivek Venkataswamy visited Narsa Reddy at NIMS.