Police Foil Congress Bid To Storm BJP State Office Over NH Case

Hyderabad: Tension prevailed at Gandhi Bhavan on Thursday as police foiled attempts by Congress leaders to lay siege to the BJP State office in protest against the National Herald case. Acting on a call given by the All India Congress Committee (AICC), scores of party workers, including those who arrived from various districts, participated in the demonstration. Similar tense situations were reported from several districts across the State.

Anticipating the protest, police deployed personnel in large numbers at both Gandhi Bhavan and the BJP State office. The gates of Gandhi Bhavan were closed to prevent Congress leaders from stepping out, and senior leaders, including Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president B. Mahesh Kumar Goud and Telangana Congress in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan, were stopped from proceeding towards the BJP office at Nampally. When women Congress leaders attempted to march towards the BJP office, they were taken into custody.

Following the police blockade, Congress leaders held demonstrations within the Gandhi Bhavan premises, raising slogans against the BJP-led Central government. The party alleged misuse of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to harass senior leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. “Despite a Delhi court dismissing the ED’s complaint and refusing to take cognisance, the BJP continues to file false cases against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. The National Herald has existed since Independence, and the Gandhi family has sacrificed its assets for the country. The BJP government is deliberately harassing such a family,” Mahesh Kumar Goud said.

Natarajan accused the BJP of pursuing vindictive politics against the Gandhi family and alleged attempts to erase Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy. “Truth will always prevail. Our path is one of non-violence, and we will continue peaceful protests to place the truth before the people,” she said.

State Mahila Congress president M. Sunitha Rao and other women leaders were taken into custody when they attempted to march towards the BJP State office. Calling the National Herald case fabricated, she alleged that the BJP was misusing Central agencies to intimidate the Congress. “This fight is not just about the Congress, but about safeguarding democracy, the Constitution and the right to dissent,” she said.

Protests were also reported from several districts. In Sangareddy, Congress leaders staged a rasta roko near the new bus stand, accusing the BJP government of misusing the ED, CBI and other central agencies against opposition leaders. In Jagtial, former MLC T. Jeevan Reddy led a protest march. In Karimnagar, Congress leaders attempted to lay siege to the office of Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar.

In Sircilla, Congress leaders staged a protest at the BJP office, where BJP leaders also gathered in large numbers. Police intervention prevented a confrontation, though arguments broke out between BJP leaders and police personnel. The Congress protest was led by Government Whip Adi Srinivas. In Nalgonda, high tension prevailed when Congress leaders, led by District Congress Committee president P. Kailas Netha, attempted to besiege the BJP district office. Police intervened following allegations of eggs being thrown at the office, and Congress leaders were later taken into custody. In Warangal, clashes between Congress and BRS workers also created tension.