Telangana BJP chief Ramchander Rao arrested

BJP alleges Cong suppressing opposition

Hyderabad: Telangana BJP President N. Ramchander Rao was arrested by the police on Sunday morning after preventing him from going to Kamareddy and shifted him to Bolarum police stations in Hyderabad. He was to go to Kamareddy and later head to Banswara where BJP MLA Venkataramana Reddy and Congress leaders had a showdown over a parcel of land belonging to Sishu Mandir.

Telangana BJP president N Ramchander Rao on Sunday warned the Congress government against what he termed “illegal arrests” of BJP leaders and Hindu activists, saying the party would not tolerate false cases against its workers.

Condemning the detention of 70–80 BJP workers in Banswada, Rao alleged that no action was taken against MIM workers, accusing the government of acting at the behest of Asaduddin Owaisi. He questioned the imposition of Section 144 in Banswada despite a peaceful bandh call by the BJP and assured party workers that the BJP would continue to oppose what he described as government atrocities.

Rao said he was arrested at his Tarnaka residence while leaving for Banswada to express solidarity with BJP MLA Katipalli Venkataramana Reddy, who was allegedly attacked in Kamareddy. He termed the arrest undemocratic and said he would continue efforts to visit Banswada. Rao also urged IAS and IPS officers to function impartially and not act as “puppets” of the ruling party.

Senior BJP leaders strongly condemned his arrest. Union Minister G Kishan Reddy described it as an attack on democracy and alleged that the Congress government was suppressing opposition voices out of political fear. He said targeting BJP leaders and placing them under house arrest resembled an “undeclared emergency.”

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar accused the Congress government of encouraging lawlessness and shielding its allies. He questioned the arrests of BJP workers in Banswada and alleged bias in police action.

The BJP maintained that attempts to intimidate its leaders through arrests would not deter its democratic protests and demanded that the state government stop political detentions and uphold constitutional rights.