KTR Arrested During Flash Protest at Telangana Assembly Entrance

Hyderabad: Tensions flared at the Telangana Assembly on Monday morning as BRS (Bharat Rashtra Samithi) working president KT Rama Rao and other legislators were arrested during a flash protest at the Assembly’s main entrance. The demonstration, held just before the Assembly session, also led to the detention of opposition MLAs and MLCs, including Council Opposition leader S Madhusudhana Chari, T Harish Rao, K Kavitha, and others. The arrested leaders were taken to a nearby police station.

The protest drew attention when BRS legislators arrived wearing t-shirts emblazoned with the slogan “Revanth-Adani Bhai Bhai”, featuring images of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy alongside industrialist Gautam Adani. The attire, a pointed critique of the alleged ties between the Chief Minister and corporate entities, was met with resistance from the police, who demanded that the legislators remove the t-shirts before entering the Assembly premises.

Heated Standoff at the Assembly

The legislators refused to comply, arguing that their attire was an expression of free speech. KT Rama Rao questioned the police’s authority, emphasizing that protesting against Adani was legitimate, citing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s similar demonstrations.

The standoff escalated as opposition members raised slogans such as “Adani-Revanth Bhai Bhai”, “Telangana Thalli muddura, Congress Thalli vaddura”, and “Nahi chalega—Thanashahi nahi chalega”. As the legislators remained steadfast in their protest, the police arrested them and escorted them to the station.

Tribute to Telangana Martyrs

Before arriving at the Assembly, KT Rama Rao and other BRS leaders visited the Telangana Martyrs’ Memorial to honor those who sacrificed their lives for statehood. Speaking to the media, Rama Rao vowed to raise public issues in the Assembly and Council, holding the government accountable for its unfulfilled electoral promises.

“We condemn the redesign of the Telangana Thalli statue, which imposes Congress Thalli on the people. Such moves are an attack on Telangana’s identity and will not be tolerated,” Rama Rao asserted, emphasizing the party’s commitment to protecting the state’s cultural heritage.

This incident underscores the intensifying political friction in Telangana, with BRS raising its voice against perceived corporate-government ties and cultural impositions.