HYDERABAD: The BJP severely criticised the police for filing a case against its state president Bandi Sanjay Kumar and his arrest on Tuesday in Jangaon district that resulted in a disruption to his Praja Sangrama Yatra. All leaders saw in the arrest an attempt by the government to stop Sanjay from speaking on the alleged involvement of TRS leader K. Kavitha in the Delhi liquor scam, and said the yatra would go on.
Reacting to his arrest, amidst widespread demands from BJP leaders that he be released and the case filed against him by Warangal police dropped, Sanjay, told reporters at his residence in Karimnagar where he was placed under house arrest, that the entire country was wondering if there was any kind of law and order control in Telangana.
Sanjay said Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao was being asked about unkept promises during the padayatra but the Chief Minister was behaving like a dictator. “The people are revolting against him and the TRS,” he said, and urged BJP workers not to lose their cool.
“Our 21 days of padayatra was peaceful, and with police permissions. So why was I arrested today,” he asked. “If there is a law and order problem,” Sanjay asked, “where did this come from? We are peaceful, so the problem is coming from the TRS side.”
He said not only were there allegations on Chief Minister’s daughter’s role in the Delhi liquor scam but there will also be a probe into a Telangana liquor scam. “Since they are afraid that during the padayatra we will talk about the liquor scam, the TRS government is trying to stop the yatra,” he said.
Union minister G. Kishan Reddy said, “The efforts to stop the padayatra are being directly supervised by the Chief Minister. BJP workers are being targeted across the state by having cases filed against them under false charges. People of Telangana are enlightened and will send the TRS and the Chief Minister’s family out of power.”
Tarun Chugh, TS BJP in-charge and party general secretary, said human rights were being violated in Telangana and the “barbaric and rogue government of K. Chandrashekar Rao would soon be brought to its knees.” Chugh said party workers would launch state-wide protests against Sanjay’s arrest, as well as that of party workers at different places.
“The BJP will never give up its struggle against the family rule of KCR,” he said, adding “The yatra will go on, and it will be historic,” Chugh declared.
At Karimnagar, party leaders Dr Sravan Dasoju, former minister and former CBI director K. Vijaya Rama Rao, spokespersons J. Sangappa, N.V. Subhash, speaking to the media at Sanjay’s residence in the evening, declared that there was no question of giving up on the padayatra.
Dr Sravan said “KCR is stooping to new lows by attacking and arresting Sanjay. He said it was shameful for TRS leaders to criticise Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and home minister Amit Shah, ‘in a bid to defend Kavita in liquor mafia issue.”
Senior party leader Gudur Narayana Reddy said the police was answerable to people and not to ruling party leaders. He said Sanjay’s arrest was because he flagged Kavitha’s involvement in the liquor scam.
