Protests Must Have Limits: BJP MP Raghunandan Rao Challenges Congress

BJP MP Raghunandan Rao said that the right to protest is an essential part of democracy but stressed that demonstrations must remain peaceful and within the boundaries of the law. Speaking at the BJP office, he said legal action would follow attempts to cross barricades and enter legislative premises unlawfully. He defended the government’s response to opposition protests in Delhi, stating that the government must protect public institutions while respecting democratic rights. Referring to Telangana, he alleged that the Congress government had also arrested protesters, including students demonstrating near the Assembly gates. He further criticised the Congress for failing to fulfil its promise of providing unemployed youth with a monthly allowance of ₹4,000 and demanded that Rahul Gandhi address the issue during his visit to the state.

Raghunandan Rao challenged the Congress to agree to a comprehensive CBI investigation into the Kaleshwaram project, covering everything from the tendering process to the final payments. He alleged that the current inquiry had been restricted to a few barrages. Rejecting the Congress’s claim that the BJP and BRS were aligned, he pointed to the Congress’s past association with the TRS. He also demanded adequate representation for backward classes in the Telangana Cabinet, arguing that the Congress should match its claims about their population share with representation in government. On the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, he challenged the Congress to participate in an open debate and substantiate its allegations of voter deletions.