Tensions soared in Telangana on Sunday when police detained BJP state president N. Ramchander Rao at his Hyderabad home. The senior leader was gearing up to visit Banswada in Kamareddy district, epicenter of Friday’s violent communal skirmishes that left the region on edge.
Confined to his Taranaka house since late Saturday, Rao’s attempt to break free Sunday triggered immediate police response. A crowd of loyalists rallied outside, clashing with officers who then nabbed a few protesters. Rao was promptly shifted to Bollaram station amid heightened security.
Rao had publicly stated his intent to support BJP MLA K. Venkata Ramana Reddy, targeted in an alleged assault. He lambasted the administration for detaining around 100 party cadres during a Hindu groups’ shutdown in Banswada. From custody, Rao took to social media, branding the state a ‘Congress dictatorship’ where defending Hindu interests is criminalized.
Flashback to Friday: A supermarket in Banswada turned battlefield after a youth protested bhajans blaring inside. Staff reportedly roughed him up, drawing rival groups into stone-pelting frenzy. Two cops were hurt in the melee. Police ramped up presence, filing FIRs under riot charges and arresting 12 suspects.
This high-profile arrest amplifies accusations of political vendetta under the new Congress regime. With BJP crying foul over minority appeasement, Telangana’s fragile peace hangs by a thread. Observers predict intensified protests unless dialogue bridges the chasm.