Hyderabad: Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Armur MLA Rakesh Reddy was booked for making derogatory and communal comments against a Telangana police personnel at Muthyalamma temple in Secunderabad.
Telangana police filed a suo moto case against MLA Rakesh Reddy after a video of the MLA surfaced on social media. In the purported video from Monday, October 14, the MLA is heard using derogatory words against the police personnel.
His remarks come amid communal tension at the Muthyalamma temple and its vicinity, following the vandalism of an idol at the temple by an allegedly radicalized individual.
Telangana police have also filed charges against a right-wing social media handler for spreading religious hate content, including communal remarks made by the BJP MLA on the platform X.
Madhavi Latha detained amid protests over Secunderabad temple vandalism
Both the BJP MLA and the right-wing social media handler were charged with section 196 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for promoting enmity and hatred between two religions, section 221 of the BNS for obstructing the duties of a public servant, section 224 for threatening injury to a public servant, and the Information Technology Act, 2000.
N Bhaskar, a constable with the cybercrime police department in Hyderabad, stated in his complaint that sharing such content online could lead to societal unrest. He also noted that the MLA’s remarks against the on-duty police officer were inappropriate for someone in a position of respect.
