T-Congress asks KCR to apologise over Varavara Rao's arrest

Deputy CLP leader in Telangana Legislative Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir has strongly condemned the arrest of revolutionary writer Varavara Rao and others when they tried to conduct a public meeting ‘Pratyamnaya Rajakeeya Vedika’.

Addressing a press conference at the Congress Legislature Party office here on Monday, Shabbir Ali said that Varavara Rao and others were taken into custody by the police in a highly objectionable manner. He said, in a democracy, everyone has a right to hold protest and express his opinion. By denying them permission to conduct the meeting, the Telangana Government violated their fundamental right to freedom of speech. Further, senior leaders were manhandled by the police without even considering their age. He said that the Congress Government never imposed ban on meetings although it granted conditional permission in some cases.

Shabbir Ali demanded that the KCR tender an unconditional apology to Varavara Rao and other leaders who were taken into custody in an illegal manner. He also advised KCR to shed his arrogance which has been spoiling the atmosphere in Telangana State. First the students of Osmania University faced the wrath of TRS Government when they held protest against regularisation of contract employees. Later, the farmers were beaten up by the police when they held demonstrations against erratic power supply. Recently, the TRS government targeted the employees and now it hit the civil rights activists and organisations.

The Congress leader said that Telangana was achieved due to the struggle by all the sections of the society. Therefore, KCR should not treat the new State as his "Jagir" and behave in an arrogant manner. He said KCR should take everyone into confidence if he was serious about the development of Telangana. He also demanded that Varavara Rao and others should be given permission to hold their proposed meeting.

Speaking about official celebration of Bathukamma, Shabbir Ali said that the festival signifies feminine felicitation. Therefore, the Chief Minister should induct at least one or two women ministers in his cabinet to give a real meaning to the official celebration of Bathukamma festival. He said it was strange that KCR could not identify even one capable woman in his party who could be made a minister.

He reminded that Congress had five women ministers from Telangana - Dr J Geetha Reddy, Sunitha Lakshma Reddy, Konda Surekha, DK Aruna and Sabitha Indira Reddy in the State Cabinet. Therefore, it is highly condemnable that KCR has denied cabinet berth even to a single woman while sending a wrong message among people that women are not capable of handling cabinet minister's post. He demanded that the Chief Minister induct a woman minister in the cabinet on immediate basis, at least on the auspicious occasion of Bathukamma festival.