BRS MLCs Arrested for Allegedly Insulting Telangana Assembly Speaker
Arrests of BRS MLCs Over Derogatory Remarks
Representational Image
Hyderabad, September 8: Authorities apprehended BRS MLCs Tata Madhusudhan, also known as Madhu, and N. Naveen Kumar Reddy on Tuesday for allegedly making offensive comments directed at Telangana Legislative Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar.
Madhu was taken into custody at his home in the New MLA Quarters, while Naveen Kumar Reddy was arrested at his residence in Kokapet.
The accusations stem from remarks made during a protest by BRS MLAs and MLCs at the Assembly entrance on Monday, where police had barred their entry due to their black T-shirts featuring slogans.
The arrests followed a complaint lodged by Pollepalli Venkatesham, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the Assembly Speaker.
The complaint alleged that the Speaker, who is from the Scheduled Caste (Madiga) community, was publicly insulted and demeaned in front of journalists, media crews, Assembly staff, and security personnel.
It was claimed that the comments were made with an awareness of his social background and were intended to undermine his personal and constitutional dignity.
In response to the complaint, Saifabad Police initiated a case under Section 352 r/w 3(5) BNS and Sections 3(1)(r), 3(2)(va), 3(2)(vii) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The remarks sparked widespread outrage within the Assembly, prompting Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and other ministers to call for Madhu's dismissal from the Legislative Council.
Speaker Prasad Kumar expressed his emotions when Minister Seethakka condemned the incident, stating her distress over the abusive comments directed at the Speaker's mother.
Ministers demanded that a case be filed against Tata Madhu under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
They also requested an apology from BRS President and Leader of Opposition K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR). Chief Minister Revanth Reddy reiterated that the MLC should not only apologize but also resign from his position.
Political parties including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), and Communist Party of India (CPI) condemned the language used by the BRS MLCs against the Speaker.
In response, Tata Madhu denied making any derogatory remarks, asserting that Congress leaders misattributed statements to him.
"If my comments were interpreted as directed at the Speaker, I retract those statements and express my regret," he stated.
He further claimed that BRS MLAs and MLCs faced violence while attempting to enter the legislature complex.
Madhu alleged that police physically assaulted him, stating, "Despite being punched in the stomach, I remained silent. Out of intolerance, they attributed words to me that I never said."