A political row has intensified in Telangana after Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) workers performed a symbolic ‘shuddhikaran’ at a spot where Congress supporters had staged a protest near former Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao’s farmhouse.
The BRS workers used turmeric water as part of the ritual, claiming that the location had been “defiled” following the Congress demonstration. They also raised slogans targeting Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy during the exercise.
The incident took place in Erravelli, where KCR’s farmhouse is located, and came a day after Congress workers organised a ‘Dappula Mota’ protest in the area.
The Congress demonstration was held over alleged derogatory remarks purportedly made by BRS MLC T Madhusudan about Telangana Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar. Madhusudan has denied making any objectionable comments.
Congress and Dalit activists had attempted to march towards KCR’s farmhouse on Tuesday. Police stopped the protesters before they could reach the premises, leading to a fresh political confrontation between the ruling Congress and the opposition BRS.
Later that evening, Madhusudan and fellow BRS MLC N Naveen Kumar Reddy were arrested in connection with a case registered over the alleged remarks.
The dispute subsequently spilled into the Telangana Assembly during the ongoing Monsoon Session. On Wednesday, 22 BRS MLAs were suspended for the remainder of the session after protests inside the House.
BRS working president KT Rama Rao was among those suspended. He had moved an adjournment motion seeking a discussion on what the party described as excessive police action against women members and alleged death threats against KCR.
BRS legislators continued raising slogans and protesting when the Speaker did not allow the discussion, resulting in disruptions inside the House. The Speaker then ordered the suspension of the 22 opposition MLAs.
The latest ‘shuddhikaran’ episode has added another layer to the escalating political confrontation between the Congress government and the BRS in Telangana, with both sides trading accusations over the handling of protests, political statements and police action.
