After Series Of NRR Arrests, BJP Vows To Intensify Protests

BJP Telangana president N. Ramchander Rao on Thursday said repeated arrests would not deter the party from intensifying its protests against the Congress government. The BJP stepped up its campaign against the Revanth Reddy government, which recently completed 1,000 days in power, focusing on issues concerning students, farmers, employees and other sections.

Rao was arrested while attempting to submit letters from reportedly written by eight lakh students to the government at the Secretariat during a protest he led. It was the third time within a week that he was detained or placed under house arrest.

Talking to Deccan Chronicle, Rao accused the state government of attempting to suppress the Opposition’s voice. He claimed that the Revanth Reddy government's actions against the BJP's protests had strengthened party workers' morale and asserted that the protests would continue.

The BJP has intensified its political campaign through a series of agitations, citing the repeated detention of its state president to accuse the Congress government of adopting a “repressive” approach. The party is seeking to expand its presence in the three corporation elections in the CURE limits and the forthcoming MLC polls, while preparing for the next Assembly elections.

The campaign gathered momentum after Rao recently met BJP national president Nitin Nabin in New Delhi. The national leadership asked the state unit to remain among the people, strengthen grassroots mobilisation and intensify protests on issues concerning students, farmers, employees and other sections.

Rao subsequently stepped up protests and district tours over fee reimbursement arrears, the prohibition of lands under Section 22-A and other issues. Union minister G. Kishan Reddy, meanwhile, increased his visits to highlight infrastructure and development projects supported by the Centre.

The state BJP chief had earlier undertaken a 48-hour hunger strike under the banner “Feesula Bakayi–BJP Ladayi”, supported students protesting Government Order 97 at the Ramanthapur Government Polytechnic College and attempted to visit Nalgonda to meet BJP district president N. Varshith Reddy after the latter's residence was allegedly attacked.

The party has announced further protests, including a two-day fast led by BJP Legislature Party leader A. Maheshwar Reddy over 22-A lands and a BJYM maha dharna on fee reimbursement.

Kishan Reddy, during his recent tours of the erstwhile Rangareddy and Mahabubnagar districts, reviewed railway and road projects, railway station modernisation works and other development programmes supported by the Centre. His outreach also included the Singareni Bharosa Yatra and the allocation of new coal blocks to Singareni.

“The Congress government cannot escape accountability by making announcements and excuses. On every issue affecting daily life in Metro City, the BJP will stand with the people and force the government to answer,” announced PM Sai Prasad, national treasurer of BJYM.

“BJP cadre is charged up and working relentlessly at the grassroots. With strong public support and an energised organisation, the party is set for a decisive victory in all three corporations,” said Pandu Yadav, state executive member and former president of the party's Golconda district unit.