Hyderabad
oi-Gaurav Sharma
Hyderabad Police on Tuesday arrested Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLC Tata Madhusudan in connection with a complaint of making derogatory and abusive remarks against Telangana Legislative Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar.
The BRS MLA was arrested at around 7 am from his residence and produced before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Nampally, Hyderabad. Police have sought judicial custody of the accused.
Hyderabad Police arrested BRS MLC Tata Madhusudan on Tuesday for allegedly making derogatory and casteist remarks against Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar under the SC/ST Act, sparking controversy and BRS protests.
The arrest of Tata Madhusudan came after a complaint was filed by Pollepalli Venkatesham, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the Speaker, against the BRS MLA for allegedly making derogatory remarks in the presence of media persons, journalist, Assembly staff and security personnel.
The FIR was registered at Saifabad Police Station under section 352 read with section 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 3(1)(r), 3(2)(va) and 3(2)(vii) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The complaint stated that the accused had insulted and humiliated the Assembly Speaker in the presence of media persons, journalists, Assembly staff and security personnel by making casteist remarks.
It was alleged that he made such remarks despite knowing the social status of the Speaker and the remark was made to lower his dignity.
Tata Madhusudan was accused of saying that KCR (Chandrasekhara Rao, former Chief Minister of Telangana and BRS leader) does not come to the Assembly because he will have to address Gaddam Prasad Kumar (Speaker of the Assembly) as “Sir” and also made casteist remarks about the Speaker’s mother.
However, Tata Madhusudan denied making any remarks against the Assembly Speaker.
Speaking to reporters, he said that it was the Congress government which was distorting his statements.
He said that his remarks were actually aimed at police personnel who had allegedly assaulted him during Monday’s protest and clarified that he did not make any derogatory remarks against the Assembly Speaker and respected his post.
He added that he would offer an unconditional apology if his remarks hurt anybody’s feelings in any manner.
The arrest of the BRS MLA has led to a fresh controversy between the ruling TDP and the BRS.
Chief Minister of Telangana, Revanth Reddy, has demanded that Legislative Council Chairman Gutha Sukhender Reddy should take immediate action against Tata Madhusudan and suspend him from the House.
Another BRS MLC, Naveen Kumar Reddy has also been arrested for allegedly assaulting a police personnel by pulling his collar and threatening him.
A protest meeting was also held by the BRS legislators and workers outside the Assembly premises on Monday after the controversial arrest of Tata Madhusudan.
The BRS MLA’s and MLC’s reached the Assembly gates in black attire and attempted to enter the building but were stopped by the marshals on duty and asked to follow certain guidelines for visiting the Assembly.
Thereafter, the legislators led a protest meeting at the main gate of the Telangana Assembly.
The BRS party has strongly protested against the arrest of its legislators and threatened to launch a massive agitation against the Telangana government’s decision.
