Hyderabad: The Hyderabad City Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar has directed the Saifabad Police to file cases against all those involved in vandalising the mayor’s chamber in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) office on November 23.
The commissioner’s directive comes after state IT minister KT Rama Rao requested him to take “strictest action” against the vandals.
“Some thugs & hooligans of BJP in Hyderabad have vandalised the GHMC office yesterday. I strongly condemn this atrocious behaviour Guess it’s too much to ask Godse Bhakts to behave in a Gandhian manner Request @CPHydCity to take strictest action on the vandals as per law,” KTR earlier wrote in a tweet.
Elected corporators and activists of the Bharatiya Janatha Party (BJP) on Tuesday barged into the GHMC office demanding the release of funds to the municipal body from the state government.
Slogans of ‘KCR down down’ and ‘KTR down down’ echoed inside the GHMC office building. Posters of ‘Mayor Hatao, GHMC Bachao’ (remove the mayor and save the GHMC), ‘What happened to KCR’s Dallas plan?’ were pasted in front of the Mayor’s chamber.
The protesting BJP workers also destroyed flower pots and utilities. The Police had to be brought in to prevent further escalation and to get the situation under control.
Mayor Gadwal Vijayalakshmi condemns vandalism
Hyderabad Mayor Gadwal Vijayalakshmi on Tuesday, in a press conference, strongly condemned the protest by BJP corporators and activists at her chamber.
“This act by the BJP corporators is heinous. In a democracy, there are peaceful methods to solve issues, but our corporators destroyed the property of the GHMC. This is totally wrong. If vandalism helps your purpose, you are welcome to do it. but it doesn’t work that way,” the mayor said.
“I want to question these corporators, Have you destroyed the property of the Mayor or the Public? These corporators should rethink their behaviour. Such incidents will lead to a loss of people’s faith in the democratic system and in elected representatives,” she added.