Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has ordered a comprehensive inquiry into a series of incidents since September 6, including the alleged abuse of Dalit Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar, the reported “purification” of a road at Erravelli after Dalits walked on it, and the alleged incidents involving women and on-duty personnel near the Assembly.
Speaking in the Legislative Assembly, Revanth Reddy said the government was taking the incidents seriously and would not tolerate caste discrimination, untouchability or oppression. He said Hyderabad Joint Commissioner of Police Vijay Kumar had been appointed as the inquiry officer.
The Chief Minister alleged that the Speaker had been abused with a highly derogatory term and questioned whether political
differences could justify insulting a person’s mother.
“There is no difference between terrorists like Kasab and those who abused the Speaker. All parties have advised BRS to apologise to the Speaker and correct their mistake. The sentiments of people have been hurt by the insult to a Dalit Speaker,” Revanth Reddy said.
He said Dalits staged a protest by beating drums to condemn the alleged insult to the Speaker. According to him, the protesters remained at a distance from the farmhouse and neither abused nor attacked anyone, but only demanded an apology from the Dalit community.
Revanth Reddy alleged that former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, instead of apologising, ordered the place to be “purified” through a woman leader named Sandhya Rao. He said she had posted on social media that the purification was carried out on KCR’s instructions.
“Can a leader who served as Chief Minister for ten years and is considered a mature political leader behave in this manner? What needs to be purified is not the land, but the deep-rooted prejudice and discrimination in their minds. The feudal arrogance of those who had the land purified because Dalits walked there must be cleansed,” he said.
The Chief Minister said the inquiry would cover the events beginning with the September 6 meeting at the farmhouse and the subsequent incidents. It would also examine the alleged harassment of women near the Assembly and attacks on personnel who were on duty.
He said the probe would establish the role of those who allegedly issued instructions from elsewhere as well as those who implemented them. Criminal cases would be registered wherever warranted, and strict legal action would be taken against those found responsible.
“There is a need to take stringent decisions without political considerations. Those who insulted Dalits will be punished according to law, and those who planned and executed such acts will be brought before the court,” Revanth Reddy said.
