Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K. T. Rama Rao said on Thursday said that he is not afraid of the “conspiracies” of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, and dared the CM to arrest him.
“Arrest me! I will walk into the prison with my head held high for standing by the farmers of Telangana,” Rama Rao posted on social media platform X.
The BRS leader was apparently reacting to reports that he is likely to be arrested in the case relating to the November 11 attack on the Vikarabad District Collector and other officials at Lagacharla village.
Former BRS MLA Patnam Narender Reddy, who was arrested in the same case on Wednesday, reportedly told police that KTR and other senior BRS leaders had directed the attack.
Amid indications that KTR may be arrested any time, a large number of BRS leaders and workers had gathered at his residence late on Wednesday night.
The officials were attacked by a mob at Lagacharla village during the public hearing on land acquisition for a proposed industrial cluster in Kodangal, the Assembly constituency of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy.
KTR alleged on Wednesday that the Chief Minister was trying to snatch the lands of farmers for a pharma company owned by his son-in-law.
The BRS leader reacted strongly to the reports of his arrest. “Revanth Reddy! For a man caught with a Rs 50 lakh bribe, everything will seem like a conspiracy! Farmers protesting against your son-in-law’s pharma company will be a conspiracy! Farmers not bowing down to your brother’s threats is a conspiracy! Two people talking on the phone is a conspiracy! People posting their woes on social media is a conspiracy! To stand with poor tribal farmers is a conspiracy!” he wrote.
“After waiting for your appointment for NINE long months, after facing all your threats, if they revolt – it is of course a conspiracy! If I question against the midnight raids on poor farmer families, illegal arrest & torture – it is definitely a conspiracy! Because you live in fear! Every single breathing moment of your life, you live in fear!” he added.
Vikarabad district police have already arrested 20 people including former Kodangal MLA Narender Reddy for the attack on officials. They have been remanded to judicial custody.
More than 30 people were booked for the violence. The police are on the lookout for the local leader of BRS youth wing Suresh Raj.