House Arrest and Allegations
Telangana BJP president N Ramchander Rao was placed under house arrest on Tuesday, September 1, with heavy police security deployed outside his residence in Hyderabad. The BJP alleged that Rao was prevented from travelling to Nalgonda to meet district BJP president Nagam Varshit Reddy, whose residence was reportedly ransacked and whose family members, including his mother, were allegedly assaulted by Congress workers on Monday evening.
Speaking to ANI, Rao said he had been detained by police while scheduled to travel to Nalgonda. "I decided to go to Nalgonda whatever may come. Police, since morning they have house arrested me. This is the second house arrest for me in these three days," he said, adding that the situation in Telangana was "worse than emergency days." India Today quoted Rao as saying, "Democracy is being systematically crushed in Telangana. Twice within a week, the Congress government has placed me under house arrest—first to prevent me from meeting protesting students, and now to stop me from meeting our Nalgonda District President, whose house was ransacked by Congress goons."
In a post on X, the Telangana BJP said that instead of taking strict action against those responsible for the attack, the Congress government had chosen to house-arrest the state BJP president, preventing him from visiting Nalgonda and standing with an attacked BJP family. The party alleged that Rao was scheduled to meet Varshit Reddy and his family following the reported clash between workers of the two parties.
Political Context
Rao alleged that the Congress government was frustrated by the growing support for the BJP among youth and students over the issue of fee reimbursement. He accused Youth Congress, NSUI, and Congress leaders of attacking BJP offices and workers out of frustration, claiming that the BJP state office was attacked and its walls defaced, and that Reddy's house was ransacked and his mother injured in the melee.
The house arrest came days after Rao criticised Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi over his remarks concerning a 'Shuddhikaran' (purification) ritual following Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's visit to Uttarakhand. Speaking to ANI, Rao accused Gandhi of indulging in "cheap politics" and misinterpreting the ritual, claiming that members of the Dalit community had also participated in it. Rao alleged that Gandhi was attempting to divide people along regional and caste lines, saying, "He wants to twist the facts and mislead the people."
Rao also targeted Kharge, alleging that the Congress had opposed and defeated BR Ambedkar in elections and did not confer the Bharat Ratna on him.
Rao's Warning
Rao warned Congress leaders and workers against what he termed "lawlessness," saying the BJP would retaliate if such incidents continued. He accused the ruling party of adopting double standards on democracy and constitutional values, arguing that while the Congress speaks about protecting the Constitution, its government was using police restrictions to prevent the Opposition from standing with students, party workers, and victims of political attacks.
Rao said he had planned to visit the Nalgonda BJP chief and his injured mother but was detained by police. He maintained that he remained determined to travel to Nalgonda despite the police restrictions.