Telangana BJP chief Bandi Sanjay joins farmers' protest, arrested

Hyderabad, January 07: Telangana BJP chief Bandi Sanjay was on Friday held amid a huge protest by farmers outside the Collectorate office in the Kamareddy town, the party said, attacking the ruling government. The developments came amid a shutdown call by local farmers who were reported to be demonstrating against the alleged inclusion of their agricultural lands in industrial zone in a draft master plan for the town.

 

 

On Twitter, the Telangana unit of BJP also shared pictures of the scuffle between cops and farmers "who fiercely resisted" the police. "Police baton-charged the activists and many were injured," read the rough translation of the post in English. The party further said that protesters were "furious" over the detention of Sanjay. Visuals showed a massive gathering demonstrating at the site.

 

In other photos before the detention, Bandi Sanjay was seen interacting with the demonstrators. "Farmers decided that there is no point in giving their land for the industrial zone. They are angry over the treatment by the TRS government," the BJP wrote in one of the many posts.

 

 

 

This is the latest standoff between the ruling TRS and the BJP as the state warms up to hold elections later this year. K. Chandrashekar Rao, who is also said to be preparing for the fight in the 2024 national polls, has been attacked by the BJP over various issues.

 

Meanwhile, the farmers' shutdown call in the Kamareddy town was backed by the Congress too apart from the BJP, news agency PTI reported, adding that about 100 people, including farmers and workers and leaders of opposition parties, were taken into preventive custody and later let off.

 

On Thursday, Telangana minister and KCR's son KT Rama Rao had urged authorities to sensitise people. He had also insisted that the master plan was still being drafted.