Telangana: Commission to seek action against BJP MLA for 'provocative' comments

Hyderabad: State Minorities Commission for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana will write to the Telangana government seeking action against BJP MLA Raja Singh for his alleged "provocative statements" pertaining to a 'beef festival'.

Asked about the MLA's recent reported statement that he would "kill or be killed to protect cows", to oppose a beef festival planned by students of Osmania University in Hyderabad on December 10, AP Minorities Commission Chairman Abid Rasool Khan said, "Telangana government has to seriously look into this matter, and we will also write to government in this regard."

The MLA from Goshamahal here had earlier vowed to stop the festival, saying cow is a sacred animal for crores of people in the country.

Earlier, the Commission, following complaints over the MLA's inflammatory speeches, had called for reports from the state government and the police also.

Stating that "it (his speeches) is a matter of communal disturbance," the Commission had recommended a curb on such kind of speeches as several cases have already been registered against the BJP legislator, Khan said.

The State Minorities Commission serves both the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Meanwhile, on the April 7 alleged encounter near Alair of Nalgonda district in Telangana, in which five undertrials were shot dead, Khan said they have submitted their recommendations (report) to the Telangana law department which is likely to give its opinion shortly.

Five undertrials - Viquar, Syed Amjad Ali, Mohammed Zakir, residents of Hyderabad, Mohammed Haneef alias Haneef, native of Ahmedabad, and Izhar Khan, native of Uttar Pradesh - were shot dead by police on April 7 when they allegedly tried to escape from a police van near Tangutur in Nalgonda district, while being taken to a court in Hyderabad.

With regard to the death of a four-year-old girl student, who was crushed to death in the lift of a private school last month, Khan said the Commission in its preliminary recommendation has directed that nursery schools should not be located on the upper floors.

"An ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakhs should also be provided to the family members of the deceased girl," he said.