Victims of BRS MLAs question party leadership about women safety

WARANGAL: BRS party MLAs and other leaders of the party in Telangana are facing several allegations of sexual abuse and harassment of women officials as also women leaders of the party. Questions are raised as to why the party leadership is keeping quiet and not taking any action against these errant leaders.

Notably, chief minister Chandrashekar Rao had often boasted that the BRS government was providing safety and security to women and girls across the Telangana state.

In the past, when BRS MLAs faced allegations of indecent or arrogant behaviour with district collectors, the chief minister warned the MLAs against such actions.

When Mahabubabad MLA Shankar Naik allegedly behaved in an indecent manner with then district collector Preethi Meena, KCR gave a strict warning to the MLA and asked him to apologise to the collector.

In another incident, then district collector Devasena submitted a report to the state government against BRS MLA Muttireddy Yadagiri, regarding the grabbing of land of a lake. Muttireddy who developed a personal grudge against the collector later faced allegations that he misbehaved with the collector. Then too, KCR interfered and resolved the issue by transferring the district collector.

Now, however, BRS MLAs Durgam Chinnaiah of Bellampalli and Thatikonda Rajaiah of Station Ghanpur have been accused of harassing women. Muttireddy Yadagiri of Jangaon is facing a charge that he forged the signature of his daughter Tuljha Bhavani to grab her land.

Sajel, director of Origin dairy firm, claimed that MLA Chinnaiah harassed her and sought her sexual favours. When she refused, he allegedly asked her to “arrange some girls” for him.

The MLA, by misusing his political power, also lodged false cases against her and her staff when they rejected his alleged sexual advances. She went and lodged a complaint at the National Women's Commission and also submitted evidence to CBI in New Delhi.

Janakipuram village sarpanch K. Navya alleged that for the past two years, MLA Rajaiah was harassing her, making phone calls to her day and night and talking to her in filthy language. Other women sarpanches are also facing such problems from the MLA Rajaiah, it is alleged.

The women victims lamented that neither the BRS party leadership nor the local senior leaders responded in their favour. They have not even enquired with them about the harassment done by these MLAs, the women say.

They ask how the government would provide women the promised security and safety when the BRS party’s elected members themselves are on the prowl and indulging in such indecent behaviour.

A senior BRS leader, speaking to Deccan Chronicle on condition of anonymity, said the BRS party leadership might not give tickets to these MLAs for the coming assembly elections. “That is why the party leadership is silent and letting them face the problems on their own," he said.