BJP’s Assembly siege sparks tension

Political tensions escalated in Telangana on Monday as the BJP, led by its State president N. Ramchander Rao, staged a dramatic “Assembly siege” in protest against the Congress government. The agitation, organised to highlight what the BJP calls the ruling party’s “betrayal of promises,” resulted in detentions and heightened security around the Assembly premises for a while.

Later, addressing the media at Punjagutta police station, Ramchander Rao strongly condemned the arrests of BJP workers and announced that the party would intensify the agitation against the Congress government's failures, deceptions, and incompetent governance.

Earlier, the BJP state chief and party activists, including women, were taken into custody while proceeding towards the Assembly in protest against the government’s failure to implement the guarantees and promises made to the people of Telangana

Rao alleged that even after 26 months of the Congress government coming to power, it has completely ignored the promises and guarantees made to the people. In protest against the state government's attitude, the BJP organised an "Assembly siege" program on Monday.

He said the BJP has organised the assembly siege to question the government and raise the voice of the people. The arrest of our leaders at the assembly was another example of the Congress government’s anti-democratic attitude.

Over 800 BJP workers, including 150 women and many Yuva Morcha activists, were arrested and held across nine police stations, he said, adding that leaders were placed under house arrest starting from midnight, and thousands of workers from various districts were prevented from entering Hyderabad.

Explaining how the Congress government has not fulfilled even one of the "Six Guarantees", except for free bus travel for women, all other guarantees have been sidelined. The government is merely engaging in false propaganda, claiming that they have been implemented.

BJP state chief accused the state Congress government of deceiving all sections of society after coming to power by not fulfilling its promises given to people before elections.

He alleged that the Congress party had released special declarations for farmers, youth, BC, SC, and ST communities, gaining the trust of millions of families. However, after coming to power, the implementation of these guarantees is nowhere to be seen.

Rao said the state government still owes farmers up to Rs 45,000 per acre under the Rythu Bharosa scheme, and about Rs 8,000 crore in fee reimbursement dues are pending and educational institutions are withholding students' certificates, leaving their futures in uncertainty.

He pointed out that the government is showing utter negligence regarding pensions for the disabled, women’s pensions, and retirement benefits for the employees.

He warned that the party will continue to confront the Congress government, which cheated the people with fraudulent promises. He demanded immediate implementation of the guarantees and promises made to the people.

Meanwhile, tension prevailed for a while at the state Assembly gates, as BJP cadres raised slogans against the ruling party, accusing it of corruption, mismanagement, and neglect of public welfare. Protesters attempted to breach barricades, leading to scuffles with police. Rao himself managed to reach the Assembly in an auto-rickshaw, evading police surveillance, before being detained.

The BJP declared that the siege was a symbolic act to voice people’s concerns and warned of intensified struggles in the coming days. “We will continue to expose the Congress government’s failures, false promises, and anti-people policies. The guarantees must be implemented immediately,” Rao asserted.