Telangana Assembly Opens in Turmoil as Congress Demands Action Against BRS MLC

The opening day of the Telangana Legislative Assembly session was marked by intense political confrontation on Monday, as the ruling Congress party demanded strict action against a Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) legislator over alleged remarks against Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar.

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, raising the matter within the House, strongly condemned the remarks allegedly made by BRS MLC Tata Madhu against the Speaker, who belongs to the Dalit community. Reddy demanded that BRS president K Chandrashekar Rao issue an apology. He further called for the resignation of the legislator in question and insisted that his membership be revoked, arguing that such conduct against the presiding officer of the House is unacceptable.

Tata Madhu has denied making any such statement. However, Congress leaders, including SC legislators who met the Chief Minister, rallied behind the Speaker and urged stringent action. The Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee has demanded the immediate suspension of Tata Madhu from the Legislative Council and held a protest where his effigy was burnt.

The controversy unfolded alongside a separate confrontation outside the Assembly premises. BRS working president K T Rama Rao, former minister T Harish Rao, and other party legislators were detained by police as they attempted to enter the complex wearing black T-shirts to protest against the Congress government's 1,000 days in power. A scuffle broke out between the BRS leaders and police.

The situation was further complicated by an order from the Telangana High Court directing the Director General of Police not to prevent BRS MLAs from entering the Assembly. With the Congress demanding disciplinary action and the BRS accusing the government of suppressing the opposition, the first day of the session ended in a bitter standoff that is expected to continue for the remainder of the session.