Hyderabad: BRS MLCs, including BRS MLC K Kavitha, arrived at Telangana Legislative Council today

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], December 17 (ANI): The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), along with MLC K Kavitha and other MLAs, staged a protest in the Telangana Assembly to voice their displeasure and demand justice for the farmers arrested in Lagcherla. They appeared at the Telangana Legislative Council today in handcuffs and black clothing as a symbol of their protest.
In a post on X, the BRS party shared, "In protest against the Congress government's stance that has shackled the poor tribal and Dalit farmers of Lagcherla, BRS Working President @KTRBRS and BRS MLAs wore black shirts, raised slogans, and staged a protest by shackling their hands in the Assembly."
BRS MLAs, including Harish Rao and Working President KT Rama Rao, protested the arrest of the Lagcherla farmers by raising signs and chanting slogans on the Assembly grounds on Monday.
Speaking to ANI, BRS Working President KT Rama Rao lashed out at the Chief Minister Revanth Reddy-led Telangana government, stating, "For the last 40 days in the CM's constituency, more than 40 farmers have been jailed because the CM's ego has been bruised."
He added, "I want to tell the CM that tourism cannot be more important when 40 farmers have been jailed. We are demanding that cases against these farmers be withdrawn and that they be released."
BRS MLA Harish Rao also condemned the government, alleging that tribal farmers had been tortured in jail.
"The Revanth Reddy government arrested the farmers at midnight. Today, they have been in jail for more than 30 days. We demanded that this issue be raised in the Assembly, but the government is focused on discussing tourism. These tribal farmers are imprisoned and tortured. Why doesn't the government want to address this in the Assembly?" said Rao.
In response, the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) Chief and Congress MLC Mahesh Kumar Goud criticized the BRS, accusing them of ruining the state's infrastructure over the last 10 years.
"Lagcherla Pharma City is a closed chapter. The CM has already instructed the development of an industrial infrastructure centre there. Kodangal, a backward constituency, is represented by the CM, and development activities are underway," Goud stated. "In the last 10 years, the BRS party and the government failed to uplift industrial infrastructure. They have ruined the state and have no right to comment on future developments," he added.
Goud also praised CM Revanth Reddy, stating, "The CM is very committed to rural development. Telangana must be developed, especially in rural areas."
"We aim to decentralize development. In the last 10 years, the BRS has ruined the state financially. Farmers have been arrested for assaulting officials, but they will be released as per legal processes. The government has no involvement in this," Goud concluded.
Earlier, in November, several individuals were arrested following protests by Lagcherla villagers against the proposed acquisition of their lands for pharmaceutical companies. (ANI)