BRS throws everything it has at BJP as it protests ED questioning Kavitha

Hyderabad: The BRS that feels it is under siege by central investigating agencies acting at the behest of the BJP-ruled Union government, on Saturday threw everything it could at the BJP as party leaders and its supporters expressed outrage at party MLC K. Kavitha being summoned by Directorate of Enforcement for questioning in the Delhi liquor scam.

The protests took the form of burning of effigies of BJP state president Bandi Sanjay Kumar for his comment on Kavitha on March 8 — he had said, "if not arrest her, will ED kiss her" — and filing of cases against him at several police stations, a failed attempt by Mayor G. Vijayalakshmi to meet Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan at Raj Bhavan demanding action against him, and BRS leaders launching scathing attacks on the BJP government at the Centre.

There were also – in what has now become staple anytime the BRS takes on the BJP on issues beyond the state borders – posters and flexis mocking Prime Minister Narendra Modi among others.

In New Delhi, BRS ministers mounted a defence of their record in giving women positions of power, in a counter to the BJP which had said the state government neglected women when it comes to various posts but that Kavitha was protesting for the women’s reservation Bill to take attention away from the liquor scam.

TS State Commission for Women chairperson V. Sunitha Laxma Reddy announced that suo motu cognisance has been taken of Sanjay’s comments and that notices would be sent to him.

Sanjay’s comments on March 8 about the possibility of Kavitha getting arrested in the Delhi liquor scam and how she would not get any friendly gesture from the Central agencies, riled the BRS on Saturday. At several locations in the city and in the districts, BRS leaders and workers gathered to demand action against Sanjay and burnt his effigies.

Meanwhile, Mayor Vijayalakshmi, accompanied by deputy mayor M. Srilatha Shoban Reddy and BRS women corporators, went to Raj Bhavan to lodge a complaint against Sanjay. However, they were not allowed inside, with officials saying their appointment with Dr Soundararajan was not confirmed.

This led to some tense moments with some BRS leaders trying to push their way past the police barricades. Some BRS leaders took to Twitter asking why the Governor was silent when Kavitha, a woman like her, was being targeted by Sanjay. There was no response from Raj Bhavan.

Elsewhere in the city, posters and flexis appeared ‘mysteriously’ with images of Modi in the likeness of Ravana with ten heads with each head representing a central investigation agency.

Some other posters mocked how leaders from other parties, who were facing cases, went on to get plum posts after they joined the party.