Hyderabad: BJP state chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar was arrested on Sunday night after police stormed his camp office to foil his ‘jagaran deeksha’ that was scheduled to protest against the transfer of government teachers and staff.
A large contingent of police laid siege to the camp office and used gas cutters to break open the locked gates. Window panes were shattered and BJP activists including women inside the camp office were dragged out and pushed aside.
On a chilly night, police shot water cannon into the deeksha venue. The police was ostensibly implementing Covid-19 guidelines.
Amid chants of “Jai Shri Ram” by BJP activists, a determined Sanjay was seen carrying on his deeksha. The police who had barged into the venue pulled the saffron scarf that Sanjay was wearing even as he was trying to persuade the police not to obstruct the deeksha.
After his arrest, Sanjay continued his protest at the Manakondur police station where he was taken.
A Twitter post captured the scene: “Gas cutters, gas sprays, water sprays, inflicting injuries on women, all to save them from Covid-19? Undemocratic, unwarranted, illegal arrest of Bandi Sanjay Kumar ji. We condemn the inhuman act of police..”
Right from the evening, a tense situation prevailed at the deeksha venue.
Police was seen indiscriminately pushing, jostling with and roughing up Sanjay’s supporters, most of them teachers and government employees. Journalists were dragged out of the venue when Sanjay was addressing them.
“It was a war-like situation here,” said an onlooker. Several activists were wounded and OBC Morcha leader Mantena Kiran suffered a fracture to his leg. The police shifted the activists to the Karimnagar Police Training Centre.
BJP activists formed into a circle to protect Sanjay from being arr
ested and told Karimnagar police commissioner V. Satayanarayana that they would immolate themselves by pouring petrol if the police arrested the BJP leader.
Sanjay charged the police with partisanship and asked why Covid-19 rules were not implemented when the Chief Minister’s son K.T. Rama Rao held rallies with thousands of people.
Accusing the TRS government of using repressive measures against those holding peaceful protests, Sanjay said a day would come when Chandrashekar Rao would have to pay for his follies and failures. “The days are nearing for KCR and his son to go to jail,” Sanjay said.
The deeksha was taken up to bring pressure on the government to withdraw the controversial GO No. 317 on transfer for teachers and government employees.
The police were successful in getting Sanjay to change the venue of the protest from outside his camp office into a hall in the office.
Karimnagar police commissioner Satyanarayana said that in view of the Covid-19 guidelines issued by the Centre and the state government, the people were dispersed. The police said that no permission had been sought to hold the deeksha.
OBC Morcha national president Dr K. Laxman, BJP state leaders T. Veerender Goud and N.V. Subash were taken into custody by the police. Efforts made by Dr Laxman to talk to police did not fructify
