Cong leaders suddenly conclude the protest by consoling victims of alleged police brutalities against Dalits belonging to Nerella and Jillela .Former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar meets four out of eight alleged victims .TRS blames Cong for politicising the issue.
KARIMNAGAR/RAJANNA-SIRCILLA:After creating six-hour-long tension in and around Sircilla and Karimnagar by bellowing that it would violate prohibitory orders imposed by police, Congress leaders on Monday suddenly concluded its protest by just consoling victims of alleged police brutalities against Dalits belonging to Nerella and Jillela villages on the charge of setting fire to two sand-laden lorries.
Thus, police seems to have successfully foiled Congress efforts to organise a public meeting at Sircilla, Assembly segment represented by IT minister K T Rama Rao.
Accompanied by TPCC chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy and others, former Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar, who was deputed by the AICC high command to lead the protest, met four out of eight alleged victims of police torture at Karimnagar district jail and consoled them. Later, she visited Nerella, Ramachandrapuram and Jillela villages in Rajanna-Sircilla district and sympathised with the kin of the victims and announced that her party would raise the issue in both the Houses of Parliament.
After that, while addressing mediapersons, Kumar criticised the state government, saying, “We expected Telangana to be a state where there would be no atrocities on Dalits or other weaker sections. But, I was in extreme pain when I was told about Nerella incident. I could not control my tears.”
The Congress senior demanded a judicial probe into the incident and expressed wonder at the silence of the Centre. Alleging that sand mafia had completely established its domination in the region, she demanded that all guilty policemen be booked under SCs and STs (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
“Victims were brutally beaten up and given electric shocks. They suffered internal injuries like damage to kidneys and ribs. Is it India? Are we living in 2017?” she asked.
The former Lok Sabha speaker said that one of the victims is a commerce graduate who had not been given the promised job by the TRS government and another victim could not complete his graduation due to non-payment of scholarship by the present government.
“We expected Telangana to become role model for the country. I wanted to come to the state to see double bedroom houses and 3 acres land distribution to Dalits. But, nothing such is happening here,” she attacked.Congress senior leaders including Koppula Raju, K Jana Reddy, Shabbir Ali, Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, T Jeevan Reddy, V Hanumantha Rao, Ponnam Prabhakar and others were present.
Sec 144 in Sircilla not to scuttle Cong meeting: Talasani
Hyderabad: Government imposed Section 144 (prohibitory orders) on Sircilla to maintain law and order and not to prevent Congress’ meeting, Animal Husbandry minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav said. Speaking to media at Secretariat here on Monday, he said opposition parties were free to organise protests. However, Sec 144 banning assembly of five or more persons was promulgated in Sircilla in view of the prevailing tensed-up situation, he explained. Yadav said government registered 200 cases against sand mafia in Sircilla. Unable to digest this, Congress was resorting to agitations, he alleged.
Meira breaks down in tears
Meira Kumar broke down in tears while interacting with the kin of Dalit youth at Nerella village. After consoling the victims in jail, she distributed I50,000 cash each to the kin of Badanapuram Bhoomaiah and another diseased person, who died in the fatal road accident (after hit by a sand laden lorry). For family members of Nerella, Ramachandrapuram and Jillelela victims, who suffered injuries due to alleged police torture, she gave I25,000 as financial aid.
KCR trying to shield his son: Uttam
TPCC chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy said the imposition of Section 30 and other restrictions clearly showed that Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had been trying to shield his son and minister K T Rama Rao, “who is directly responsible for the atrocities on Dalits and BCs.” He alleged that the CM was also trying to protect sand mafia. Meanwhile, the petition moved by the Congress in the High Court seeking permission for its public meeting at Sircilla did not come up for hearing.