BRS Highlights the Struggles of Telangana's Lagacharla Villagers, Seeks President Murmu's Intervention

New Delhi: On Tuesday, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) sought a meeting with President Droupadi Murmu to discuss the hardships faced by residents of Lagacharla village in Telangana’s Vikarabad district. These villagers claim they have faced police violence after opposing a "forced" land acquisition.

The BRS representatives aim to shed light on the villagers' plight, alleging that the state government has enforced land acquisitions against their will. Reports also suggest incidents of police brutality and even sexual assaults during the protests.

Villagers have accused local police of targeting them after they protested the "compulsory" land acquisition intended for a pharmaceutical project. Residents of Lagacharla, in the Kodangal constituency, claim that Adivasi families have been harassed and illegally detained by the authorities over the past nine months for opposing these measures.

According to sources, officials from President Murmu's office have requested more information regarding the accusations of harassment in Lagacharla village.

On Monday, women from the village who traveled to Delhi filed complaints with the SC/ST Commission, as well as the Women’s and National Human Rights Commissions, accusing the Telangana government of misconduct. These women have vowed to stay in the capital until their grievances are acknowledged.

At a press conference in New Delhi, BRS Working President KT Rama Rao (KTR) criticized the Telangana government, led by Congress Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. He accused the Congress administration of mistreating marginalized tribal communities, highlighting the alleged hypocrisy of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

“Rahul Gandhi frequently emphasizes his support for farmers, tribals, and women, yet his party’s Chief Minister, Revanth Reddy, is overseeing these atrocities. Can Rahul Gandhi not hear the cries of tribal women and farmers in Kodangal?” KTR questioned.

He also accused Congress of duplicity, pointing out that the same party, which claims to fight against crony capitalism, is now confiscating tribal lands for private projects. “Rahul Gandhi speaks against crony capitalism but remains silent on Revanth Reddy's land acquisitions for pharma projects. This exposes Congress's double standards,” he added.

KTR called on both the BJP and Congress to break their silence and address these urgent concerns. “Rahul Gandhi portrays himself as a friend of the underprivileged, but his actions tell a different story. The tyranny of Revanth Reddy must stop, and Rahul Gandhi must hold his Chief Minister accountable,” he demanded.

At the same press conference, villagers pledged to remain in Delhi until their demands are addressed. “We have no other place to go. Our land is our livelihood, and we will fight until the very end,” they said.

BRS MLC Satyavati Rathod expressed strong condemnation of the current administration. “The Congress government has crossed every limit of oppression. The Chief Minister’s brother has threatened farmers with death if they refuse to hand over their land. Even women and children are not spared from this violence,” she said.

She reiterated the BRS party's commitment to supporting the affected villagers. “We will not rest until justice is served. The entire nation needs to know about the injustices happening in Telangana under Congress’s rule,” she added.

On November 18, a BJP leader reported that MPs Eatala Rajender and D K Aruna were detained in Moibnabad while attempting to visit Lagacharla village.

On November 14, BRS Working President KTR was named in a police report related to an assault on the Vikarabad district collector and other officials in Lagacharla village. This incident follows the November 13 arrest of BRS MLA Patnam Narender Reddy for his involvement in the attack.

According to police, Patnam Narender Reddy admitted to planning a conspiracy to undermine the Congress government for his own political gain. The remand report indicated that he acted under the guidance of prominent BRS figures, including KTR.

The report states that Reddy was arrested early on November 13 at his residence in Hyderabad. During questioning, he allegedly confessed to orchestrating the attack to gain political advantage and discredit the Telangana government, following directions from senior BRS leaders.

Telangana Minister Ponnam Prabhakar condemned the assault on the district collector, saying, “If people are unhappy with government decisions, they have the right to protest. But an attack on an IAS officer is unacceptable. I urge KTR to clarify his party’s stance—do they support violence against officials? We will defend our officers and enforce strict measures.”

The conflict escalated when a group of villagers in Lagacharla hurled stones and damaged the district collector's vehicle during a visit. The local police reported that there were tensions over the surprise visit, which aimed to gauge public opinion on the Pharma City land acquisition project. Some officers, including an RDO rank official from Kodangal, were also injured in the incident.

Several arrests have followed the confrontation, with police linking the violence to local opposition to the planned land acquisition for pharmaceutical projects.

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