Tension in Vikarabad as BRS Leaders Detained
High political drama gripped Telangana , as the state government and the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) clashed over a controversial land acquisition project. The police placed several top BRS leaders under house arrest and detained others to prevent them from reaching Parigi mandal in Vikarabad district, where farmers have been protesting against a proposed 1,200-acre industrial park.
Among those detained were BRS Deputy Floor Leaders T. Harish Rao and Sabitha Indra Reddy. The leaders were stopped at TSPA Junction while attempting to visit the protesting villagers in Kadlapur and Rapolu. Harish Rao accused the Revanth Reddy government of “murdering democracy” and using police force to silence the voices of farmers who fear losing their livelihoods.
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, speaking from a public meeting in Adilabad, countered the opposition’s claims by highlighting his government’s development agenda. He announced the revival of the Pranahita-Chevella irrigation project and the foundation for a new Adilabad Airport. The Chief Minister dismissed the BRS protests as political stunts, asserting that the current “People’s Government” is focused on rectifying “ten years of stagnation” under the previous regime.
The standoff intensified as BRS Working President K.T. Rama Rao (KTR) issued a scathing statement condemning the arrests. KTR argued that the government has failed to deliver on its “six guarantees” and is instead targeting the lands of the poor for industrial purposes without proper consent. He vowed that the BRS would continue to stand by the farmers until the land acquisition notification is completely withdrawn.
Meanwhile, the state government took a major policy step by declaring cancer a “notifiable disease” to improve healthcare surveillance. However, the day was largely defined by the heated exchanges and heavy police presence across Hyderabad and Vikarabad, signaling a deepening rift between the ruling Congress and the BRS as both parties gear up for upcoming local body polls.
