Telangana HC grants conditional permission for BRS protest in Mahabubabad 

Hyderabad: In a major relief to the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) party, the Telangana High Court granted permission to the Opposition party on Thursday to hold its protest in Mahabubabad town.

The party had planned to stage a massive dharna in the district headquarters to protest the attack on tribal, dalit and poor farmers in Lagacherla.

The BRS party postponed its Maha Dharna, which was scheduled for Thursday, November 21, after the Mahabubabad police denied permission for the protest. The police also imposed Section 163 (formerly Section 144 prohibitory orders) across the district.

Following the denial of police permission, the BRS leader Yella Muralidhar Reddy filed a lunch motion petition in the High Court seeking an urgent hearing into the matter. The petition mentioned the alleged atrocity of the Vikarabad police on the locals of Lagacherla, including women, children, and tribals.

In the petition, the BRS youth leader argued that the district police cannot refuse permission to hold a peaceful protest without justifiable grounds. The government pleader defended the police department’s decision and said it was taken in the best interest of maintaining law and order.

After hearing both sides, the High Court directed the Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Mahabubabad to allow the BRS party to hold a protest in the district headquarters. The court added that permission for the protest would be conditional. The order said only 1,000 people without any criminal antecedents will be allowed to participate in the protest. The demonstration will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the designated Dharna Chowk in Mahabubabad. The Opposition party will now hold the Maha Dharna on Monday, November 25.