BRS leaders KT Rama Rao, Harish Rao named in sexual harassment case

A sexual harassment case has been registered against Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leaders including KT Rama Rao (KTR) and Harish Rao, based on a complaint filed by a woman police constable.

The case relates to an incident in which BRS legislators attempted to lay siege to the Assembly in Hyderabad on Monday (September 7). What started with BRS MLAs staging a protest in black T-shirts at the Assembly gate led to a confrontation with the police.

Case under various sections of BNS

The case, registered at the Saifabad Police Station, names KTR, Harish Rao, MLA D Sudheer Reddy and MLC Naveen Kumar Reddy. The case has been registered under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for allegedly obstructing women police personnel in the discharge of their duties, using abusive language, issuing threats, and behaving inappropriately towards women police officers.

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The case is under various sections of BNS including Section 74 (assault with intent to outrage a woman’s modesty), Section 75(1) (sexual harassment), Section 79 (gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), Section 121(1) (causing hurt to a public servant while on duty), Section 130 (using criminal force to obstruct a public servant in the discharge of duty), Section 132 (assaulting or attempting to wrongfully confine a person), Section 296 (obscene acts in a public place), Section 351(2) (criminal intimidation), Section 352 (conduct intended to provoke a breach of peace), and Section 3(5) (holding all persons jointly liable when a criminal act is committed by several people with a common intention).

Where did the controversy begin?

On Monday, BRS MLAs and MLCs arrived at the Assembly wearing black T-shirts to attend the session. The T-shirts carried slogans criticising the Congress government. Police stopped them at the Assembly gate and did not allow them to enter. An argument then broke out between the police and BRS leaders. When they were told they could not enter wearing black shirts, several BRS leaders, including Harish, removed the T-shirts they were wearing at the spot.

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At the time, women constables were standing in front of the BRS leaders. The women police personnel reportedly felt uncomfortable when the leaders suddenly removed their T-shirts in front of them. As the situation remained tense, police took KTR, Harish and several other leaders into custody and shifted them to Telangana Bhavan. Police have already registered several cases in connection with the incident.

What woman constable’s complaint says

A 33-year-old woman constable has now lodged a complaint with the Saifabad police. In her complaint, she stated that she was on security duty at Gate No. 3 of the Assembly on Monday. She alleged that BRS Working President KTR and Harish got into an argument with women police personnel when officers stopped BRS leaders from entering the Assembly. Police said the complaint alleges that Harish removed his T-shirt, threw it towards the police and subsequently stood semi-naked near the women police personnel.

The complaint also states that some other BRS leaders removed their T-shirts. The woman constable further alleged that the leaders moved close to the women police personnel and attempted to enter the Assembly, during which some police officers were pushed and shoved. According to the complaint, the incident obstructed the officers in the discharge of their duties and caused the women police personnel to feel intimidated and humiliated.

Hyderabad row reaches Delhi

The BRS is now preparing to take the escalating Hyderabad controversy to Delhi. At a breakfast meeting held at KTR’s residence, BRS leaders decided to lodge complaints in Delhi. They will approach the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the National Commission for Women (NCW). They plan to inform the women’s commission officials about the alleged police assault on women leaders and seek their immediate intervention in the matter.

(This article was originally published in The Federal Telangana)