YS Sharimala stages sit-in at Tank Bund, slams KCR as police deny permission

HYDERABAD: YSR Telangana Party President YS Sharmila launched an indefinite fast at Tank Bund in Hyderabad on Friday after police refused her permission for Praja Prasthanam Yatra. She criticized that the government was suppressing the voice of those who spoke on public issues.

Accusing Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao of acting like a dictator, Sharimila said that there was no constitution prevailing in the state under KCR's rule. Sharmila submitted a letter to the statue of BR Ambedkar at Tank Bund demanding permission for her Padayatra. She questioned how far it was justifiable to refuse permission despite High Court granting it.

Further taking a dig at the Chief Minister, Sharimala made scathing comments against the police saying that they were acting as the latter's stooges instead of protecting the rights of women. Recalling the incidents of Narsampet where the BRS activists attacked her vehicle, Sharimala said that the police had arrested the victims instead of the attackers. Sharimila asserted that KCR was responsible for the attack on her and claimed that the latter was scared of her for covering 3,500 kms of Padayatra.

Highlighting the failures of KCR in the last eight years, she said that the BRS government failed to waive the farmers' loan, to provide double-bedroom houses, jobs, 12 percent reservation for minorities, and zero-interest loans to women. She challenged KCR to show the development progress in the state and said that she would leave the politics if there was progress in the state.

However, the police broke Sharmila's sit-in protest and arrested her. On this occasion, a heated argument took place between the party workers and the police.