New Delhi (Agency): A tense scene unfolded in Hyderabad on Thursday when Union Minister and Telangana BJP president G Kishan Reddy, along with other party leaders, was prevented by police from visiting a government housing site. In response, Reddy and the other leaders sat in protest on the road, leading Reddy to declare, “the war has begun” against the BRS government.
The day’s events began when several BJP leaders were put under “house arrest” or taken into preventive custody as Reddy called for an inspection of a government housing complex at Batasingaram. The complex, designed with double bedrooms, is intended to provide homes for the poor.
However, as Reddy arrived from Delhi and made his way towards the construction site, he was intercepted and halted at the Outer Ring Road. Outraged at the obstruction, Reddy and his fellow leaders sat on the road despite the downpour.
Facing off against D S Chauhan, the Commissioner of Rachakonda Police, Reddy posed the questions, “Am I a criminal? Am I a terrorist? I have a right to go anywhere in India”. Despite this, Reddy was physically removed by the police and taken to the state BJP headquarters at Nampally in the city.
Addressing the media, Reddy sharply criticized the BRS government for not fulfilling their promise of constructing two-bedroom houses for the poor, even after nine years in power. Reddy revealed that he intended to visit the Batasingaram construction site, which remained incomplete, ahead of a planned agitation on the issue by the BJP.
Explaining his frustration, Reddy said, “This is not even a protest. When I wanted to visit (the site), I don’t know why hundreds of policemen were deployed outside our office.” He also expressed bewilderment at being followed from the airport and having his way blocked by police jeeps, describing himself as a law-abiding citizen, not a criminal or a terrorist.
In the midst of this dispute, Reddy challenged Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao to address the demand for double bedroom houses in the state. He accused the Chief Minister’s family of feeling insecure and being “afraid of its own shadow”, suggesting that this led to the police action against the BJP leaders.
Speaking passionately, Reddy proclaimed, “The war has begun today. They started war on their behalf. We are ready for war. BJP will definitely fight a peaceful and democratic war with BRS, Kalvakuntla family (CM’s family) as per the rights given by Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar and with the support of Telangana people.” He pledged to fight for the poor, for affordable housing, for jobs, and against unemployment.
Responding to Animal Husbandry Minister T Srinivas Yadav’s comments that the Centre hasn’t provided enough funds for housing, Reddy argued that it was his duty to secure the Central share and funds if the Telangana government built 50 lakh houses for the poor in the state. In contrast, Yadav claimed that Telangana is the only state in the country to build double-bedroom houses for the poor and dismissed Reddy’s road sit-in as a “political drama”.
Union Minister G Kishan Reddy stages a road sit-in, declaring “war” on the BRS government after being denied access to a housing construction site.
