Telangana Speaker in Tears After Alleged Insult; Congress Seeks Action Against BRS MLC
Telangana Speaker breaks down after alleged derogatory remarks by BRS MLC; Congress files complaint; police clash with BRS MLAs.
Hyderabad: The Telangana Assembly witnessed unprecedented scenes on Monday as Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar was seen in tears after alleged derogatory remarks made by a Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) legislator. The incident occurred when police stopped opposition MLAs from entering the legislature premises, leading to a confrontation.
District Congress Committee President of Khairatabad, Motha Rohit Mudiraj, filed a complaint seeking immediate legal action against BRS MLC T Madhusudan. Congress leaders alleged that the insults directed at the Speaker left him visibly distressed. Mudiraj urged police to verify video evidence, register an FIR, preserve digital evidence, and conduct a fair investigation.
Several Dalit Congress MLAs and MLCs said Madhusudan's remarks were an insult to both the Dalit community and the office of the Speaker. Madhusudan, however, denied making any comments against the Speaker, expressing regret if his words were construed as such and offering to withdraw them.
Earlier, the Assembly session began tumultuously as BJP members raised slogans demanding an immediate debate on the inclusion of private lands under Section 22-A of the Registration Act, which bars registrations of such properties. Despite Speaker Kumar's appeal, BJP members persisted, prompting Legislative Affairs Minister D Sridhar Babu to assure that the government was ready for a debate. The Speaker eventually adjourned the House.
During the adjournment, high drama unfolded outside as BRS MLAs, wearing black T-shirts, were stopped by police, leading to scuffles. Peddapalli MP Gaddam Vamsi Krishna condemned the alleged assault on a female constable and demanded cases against the BRS MLAs responsible. He also criticised BRS Working President K T Rama Rao for allegedly encouraging the insults.
When the House resumed, BJP members again pressed for a debate, relenting only after Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy assured that the matter would be taken up later. Reddy termed the alleged remarks an insult to the four crore people of Telangana and described the day as a "dark day" for the state. He alleged that BRS chief K Chandrashekar Rao had incited party legislators during a meeting on Sunday.