MIM Attacks: Congress Seeks Repolling In Old City

The Telangana Congress has strongly condemned the attacked on TPCC President N Uttam Kumar Reddy and Leader of Opposition in the Telangana Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir by MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi and his "goons" near Mir Chowk police station on Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan, Leader of Opposition in the Telangana Assembly K Jana Reddy and TPCC Working President Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said that the attack had exposed the failure of the law & order machinery, and showed the MIM's "goonda raj" in the Old City.

They alleged that Asaduddin Owaisi himself led a group of nearly 200 "goons" and roamed around the Old City on bikes.

They said that the police remained mute spectators when Owaisi and his men attacked the Congress leaders, leading to Shabbir Ali and Uttam Kumar Reddy sustaining injuries in the attack.

The Congress leaders also demanded the immediate arrest of Asaduddin Owaisi and his followers who participated in the attack, and said that if Owaisi was not arrested within 24 hours, the Congress would wage serious protests.

They alleged that Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, Home Minister Nayani Narasimha Reddy, DGP Anurag Sharma and Commissioner Mahender Reddy were aware that the Congress leaders would be attacked, and that the police authorities could not have failed to notice of the movement of Asaduddin Owaisi with the gang of over 200 "goondas" in the hundreds of CC cameras they had installed. However, they took no preventive measures, and allowed the MIM workers to roam around freely. They asked why Owaisi came to the Mir Chowk police station when no MIM workers or supporters were kept in police custody. They also alleged that the MIM leaders had been allowed to violate the Model Code of Conduct since the morning.

They said that if the MIM and TRS were so afraid of contesting the elections, then KCR should have nominated all Corporators instead of facing the polls.

Vikramarka said that despite several reminders to the State Election Commission and other authorities, no steps were taken to stop the MIM's rowdism in the Old City. He said that Congress candidates Mohammed Gouse of Puranapul and Mohammed Abdul Irfan of Lalithabagh were illegally arrested. The contesting candidates in other division were not allowed to enter the polling stations, while MIM workers were given a free hand to rig the polls, he alleged.

Former MP M Anjan Kumar Yadav warned the MIM of strong retaliation if it continued its spree of violence.

Shabbir Ali said that the attack clearly reflected the frustration of the MIM leaders over losing their base in the Old City and the fear of losing the elections. He said that Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao had given a free hand to the MIM "goondas" to rig the elections in the Old City.

He said that he would not get intimidated by such attacks and would continue to expose the failures of the MIM.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said that causing a bleeding injury to a Leader of Opposition in front of a police station clearly showed the failure of the law & order situation. He demanded stern action against all the policemen who had failed to prevent the attack, and also against those who allowed the MIM to do "rowdyism" in the Old City on a polling day.

He said that the Congress would launch a state-wide protest unless Asaduddin Owaisi and other goons who attacked the Congress leaders were arrested.

Condemning severely the attacks on Congress leaders by MIM party activists, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader K Jana Reddy demanded that the State government arrest Asaduddin Owaisi, and protect the law and conduct re-polling in all the 44 divisions of the Old City where he claimed the polling was rigged.

Jana Reddy alleged that the ruling party colluded with the MIM in the GHMC elections, and that the MIM, afraid of defeat, physically attacked the Congress leaders.

Former PCC President Ponnala Lakshmaiah, MLC Farooq Hussain, former union minister T Balram Naik, MLA T Rammohan Reddy and Youth Congress president Anil Kumar Yadav were also present.