Telangana Assembly: BRS leaders booked for scuffle with police during monsoon session protest

Hyderabad: The Telangana monsoon session began on Monday (September 7, 2026) with a clash between opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) legislators and police outside the Assembly premises. The following day, police registered a case against multiple BRS lawmakers in connection with the incident.

The BRS legislators, wearing black t-shirts with the slogan 'Congress failed to deliver promises in 1,000 days', gathered at Gate-3 of the Telangana Assembly to protest against the ruling party. According to police, the legislators were stopped from entering as they were not following the dress code prescribed by the Speaker. Tensions escalated when some legislators allegedly tried to force their way in, leading to a scuffle with police personnel.

Former ministers and BRS women MLAs Sunitha Reddy and Sabitha Indra Reddy said they were ill-treated by the police. They claimed the police used excessive force against them during the protest. Police, however, denied these allegations and said the legislators were warned before any action was taken.

On Tuesday (September 8, 2026), the Saifabad Police Station registered a First Information Report (FIR) against several BRS MLAs and MLCs, including Harish Rao, Sudheer Reddy, Kamalakar and Koushik Reddy. The FIR lists offences including violation of the Speaker's dress-code order, use of abusive language against women police officers, removing shirts, pushing and manhandling police personnel, and attempting to enter the Assembly by force.

The incident has reignited a political row in the state. BRS leaders have threatened to launch a larger agitation, accusing the Congress government of suppressing dissent and failing to keep its electoral promises. They pointed to the 1,000-day milestone of the Congress regime, which they say has not delivered on job creation, welfare schemes and farmer support.

Congress leaders, in turn, have defended the police action, stating that no one is above the law and that the Assembly's rules must be respected. They also accused the BRS of disrupting the legislative process and disrespecting democratic institutions.

The state government has announced that a special team will investigate the case and submit a report. Legal experts say the charges under the Indian Penal Code, including those related to obstructing a public servant in the discharge of duty and assault, could lead to serious consequences if proven.

The monsoon session is expected to continue for several days, with both the ruling party and the opposition preparing for heated debates on a range of issues, including the state budget, irrigation projects, and law and order.

Citizens and political observers have urged both sides to maintain peace and allow the Assembly to function without disruption. Some have also called for a review of the dress-code rule, arguing that it should not be used to restrict peaceful protest by elected representatives.

As the political stalemate continues, the focus now shifts to how the Assembly proceedings unfold in the coming days and whether any legal action will be taken against the protesting legislators.