Congress Urges Governor For Action On Commissioner

A delegation of Congress leaders, led by TPCC president N Uttam Kumar Reddy, on Tuesday called on Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan at Raj Bhavan and complained that the TRS government was misusing the police force to harass the Congress cadre.

They also sought action against Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar under the special powers the Governor enjoyed as per Section 8 of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act 2014.

In a memorandum submitted to the Governor, they said that the Telangana police, especially the Hyderabad police, had been acting in an arbitrary and high-handed manner, and using illegal methods against the public in general and the Congress cadre in particular.

"We are bringing the issue to your notice to take necessary steps as Governor and protector of Constitution. The Governor of Telangana State has special and overriding powers in terms of all law and order issues (as per section 8 of the AP Reorganization Act 2014) in the city of Hyderabad for a period of ten years from 2014 (sic)," the Congress leaders added.

Speaking to mediapersons later, Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the party had apprised the Governor of the developments that occurred on December 28. On the 135th Foundation Day of the Indian National Congress, an all-India program had been scheduled wherein flag hoisting was to be held in Congress party offices across the country, and peaceful and silent rallies were to be held with the national flag and placards reading "Save India, Save Constitution" in all State capitals throughout the country.

Subsequently, permission was sought from the Hyderabad police for a rally from Gandhi Bhavan to the Dr Ambedkar statue at Tank Bund. The Hyderabad Police however refused permission for the same.

As a result, after the flag hoisting on December 28 in Gandhi Bhavan, a peaceful Satyagraha was held inside Gandhi Bhavan itself to protest the CAA and police injustices.

Shockingly, however, the police arrested Congress leaders and workers who were coming to Gandhi Bhavan to participate in the indoor celebrations, he said.

Thousands of Congress workers were arrested and illegally detained in police stations, he complained.

He said that it was ironic that the "communal" RSS was permitted to hold a rally and meeting, and that the MIM was also allowed public meetings, but that the main Opposition party of the State was not only denied permission to hold a peaceful meeting, thousands of its workers were arrested.

The TPCC chief said that the party had urged the Governor to order an inquiry into the incident and consider appropriate action.

He said that after the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, Anjani Kumar was allotted to the Andhra Pradesh cadre. But he was continuing in Telangana through a stay order from the High Court. He asked Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao if there was no IPS officer from the Telangana cadre who was fit to hold the post of the Hyderabad Police Commissioner.

Reddy also alleged that after the creation of Telangana State, Chief Minister KCR had been using the police to suppress all dissent and democratic forms of protest. If any political party or civil society organizations gave a call for protest on any issue, members of that organization were immediately placed under house arrest, he lamented.

He also said that the Congress cadre was being harassed by implication in false cases to force them to defect to the TRS.

The delegation comprised of senior leaders K Jana Reddy, Ponnala Lakshmaiah, Mohammed Ali Shabbir, V Hanumantha Rao, D Sridhar Babu, Seethakka, Kusum Kumar and others.