An MRPS woman activist identified as Bharathi, who was among a group of protestors participating in a demonstration at the Hyderabad Collectorate demanding categorization of Schedule Castes, collapsed and was declared dead on arrival at the Osmania Hospital on Monday.
As the tragic news reached the Assembly during Zero Hour, the House immediately took up a discussion on the issue after postponing the short discussion on Purification and Updation of Land Records. Describing the death of the woman protestor as most unfortunate, Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao said his government would send a request signed by all Opposition leaders seeking an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue of SC reservation categorization to the Centre. The Chief Minister announced Rs 25 lakh ex gratia to the kin of the deceased. He also said the government would also provide a job to one of her children if any.
The deceased residing at Addagutta in Secunderabad was among the protestors, who raised slogans and as the police rushed to the spot, there was a scuffle and she fell down unconscious. She was rushed to the Osmania General Hospital where doctors declared she was brought dead
Earlier, CLP leader K Jana Reddy informed the House about the death of Bharathi alleging that died due to lathi-charge. He also demanded that the State government make a statement on the issue. as part of short discussion.
After Akbaruddin completed his speech on short discussion, Finance Minister Etela Rajender said the deceased died due to fits and not because of lathi-charge. Later when the Speaker asked BJLP leader G Kishan Reddy to speak on Purification and Updation of Land Records, Kishan Reddy urged the Speaker to adjourn the House for the day or at least for half-an-hour.
The Congress and other Opposition leaders too urged the Speaker to adjourn the House for half-an-hour and also demanded that the government make a statement on the incident. At this juncture, the Home Minister said the government would make a statement within a few minutes. The Speaker too asked the Opposition leaders to continue the business as the government was ready to make a statement. But the Opposition leaders stuck to their guns and the Speaker adjourned the House for 15 minutes.
After the House reassembled, the Chief Minister made a statement on the MRPS activist’s death. Later, the Opposition leaders, including Jana Reddy (Congress), Kishan Reddy (BJP), Pasha Quadri (MIM), Sandra Venkata Veeraiah (TTDP), Sunnam Rajaiah (CPM) urged the Speaker to adjourn the House to Tuesday as it was not proper to the House to continue its business while knowing the traffic incident. The Chief Minister too agreed to the suggestion. The Speaker adjourned the House to Tuesday. (NSS)