The opposition parties on Saturday accused the Congress Government of misusing the police force to harass its political opponents.
Speaking on the arrests of Telangana workers and leaders during Sadak Bandh programme, TRS MLA T Harish Rao said that the government was trying to terrorise the pro-Telangana leaders by booking cases against them. He said that his party leaders were ready to jail to achieve statehood for Telangana region.
CPI’s G Mallesh alleged that the Congress party went back on its promise of giving statehood to Telangana region which drove hundreds of youth to suicide. MIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi demanded that the Centre put an end to uncertainty over Telangana issue by saying yes or no to the statehood demand.
YSRCP’s Shobha Nagi Reddy alleged that while the Congress Government in the State was misusing the police, the Centre was misusing the CBI against its political opponents. She cited the example of YSRCP president Jagan Mohan Reddy who was arrested by the CBI in the disproportionate assets case.
TDP’s Motkupalli Narasimhulu too condemned the arrest of Telangana leaders during Sadak Bandh agitation.
MLAs Srinivas Reddy, Nagam Janardhan Reddy, Ramesh, Mastan Vali, Jay Prakash Narayan and others also participated in the discussion.
Earlier, making a statement on the floor of the House, Home Minsiter P Sabitha Reddy said that the leaders were arrested for defying the police ban on Sadak Bandh programme. She said that agitations like Sadak Bandh could not be permitted as per the orders of the Supreme Court. She said a total of 1,422 people including 17 MLAs and five MLCs were taken into custody and released on personal bonds.
Sabitha Indira Reddy said that 10 separate cases were registered for incidents of pelting of stones on RTC buses, Trucks and Lorries. She claimed that police have exercised restraint and did not use any force anywhere all along the 180 Kms stretch in pursuit of maintenance of Law and Order. They also did not arrest anyone in criminal cases, except the people specifically involved in either committee violence or abetting violence, though the obstruction of movement of vehicular traffic on highways was a criminal offence by itself, she said. (INN)