Hyderabad (Telangana)[India], September 10 (ANI): Congress MLA Chittem Parnika Reddy questioned the relevance of the recent discussions on “untouchability” and “shuddhikaran” (purification) in the ongoing Telangana Assembly session, saying such issues belonged to the past and that the House should instead focus on addressing the challenges faced by people across several constituencies.
“It is a sad state of affairs that we are going through here in Telangana. We are seeing such issues which we have heard about in the past. And again today, when they are talking about shuddhi karana, untouchability of Dalits here, again where today they have done those shuddhi karana chedamu and all that, the untouchability has gone long back,” Reddy said on Wednesday.
The Congress MLA said society had moved ahead with “newer ideas” and a new generation had emerged.
“We have come forward with newer ideas. A newer generation has come. And where are we going again into the past? I think all this has to stop and the opposition has to come to a conclusion to this,” she said.
Reddy said the Assembly had not witnessed a healthy discussion for the past three days and urged the opposition to allow debates on issues affecting people in constituencies.
“For three days, we have not had a healthy discussion here in the Assembly; we are all looking forward to talking about the problems which we are facing in our constituencies. Obviously, the Assembly is a stage where we can put forward our issues,” she said.
She further appealed for an end to the ongoing disruptions and said the younger generation wanted a better future.
“We want a better future for us also as young generation and youth. We are looking forward to a better future,” Reddy said.
The Congress MLA also criticised the opposition over alleged unparliamentary remarks against the Speaker and said an apology was needed.
“It’s just a sorry which they have to say, which they are not saying. Whatever they have uttered in unparliamentary language against the Speaker also, it’s sad,” she added.
Earlier, Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy alleged that a “purification” programme was carried out near BRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao’s farmhouse in Erravelli after Congress Dalit activists staged a protest there, calling the alleged act an insult to Dalits.
Reddy raised the issue on Wednesday in the Assembly while demanding accountability over the controversy triggered by alleged “abusive” remarks against Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar by BRS MLC T Madhu Sudhan.
"Chandrashekar Rao himself gave orders...I am not saying it. Sandhya Rao, BRS, has stated that ‘Today, following the orders of KCR, wherever Dalits stepped around the farmhouse, it was purified with turmeric water."
"Mr Speaker, is there anything more insulting than this? Even the emperors of the Middle Ages did not behave like this," he said.
Under the leadership of the Congress party’s SC and ST wings, a ‘Dappula Mota’ (drum-beating) protest was held in Erravelli, demanding an apology from the former Chief Minister after BRS MLC T Madhu Sudhan allegedly used harsh language against the State Legislative Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar.
It may be recalled that a ‘purification’ ritual was also conducted at Haldwani’s Ramlila Maidan in Uttarakhand following Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s rally.
On Tuesday, several Congress MPs, including Mallu Ravi and Vamsi Krishna Gaddam, reached Parliament Street Police Station in the national capital to demand registration of an FIR over the same.
The MPs alleged that the incident was an attack on the Dalit community and said they would seek action against those responsible. They also demanded a Zero FIR and announced plans for a protest at Jantar Mantar. (ANI)
“Why are we going back to the past?”: Congress MLA Parnika Reddy questions "purification" debate in Telangana Assembly
