‘Hyderabad has become a haven for drugs and pubs’

KCR’s silence on the issue is baffling, say speakers at all-party meeting

Hyderabad has become a sobriquet for drugs, pubs and atrocities against women in the recent past while the government shows its arrogance in even recognising the seriousness of the issue, felt speakers at an all-party meeting convened by Telangana Congress under the banner of ‘Hyderabad Bachao’ at Press Club here on Wednesday.

The speakers, including TPCC president A. Revanth Reddy, Prof. Kodandaram, Prof. Haragopal, Dr. J. Geetha Reddy, Dasoju Sravan, Indira Shobhan among others expressed their dismay at the silence of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao even on grave crimes and felt it is emboldening the criminals.

Mr. Revanth Reddy alleged that the minor girl’s rape was done on the premises of a temple and the government wants to hide details and save the culprits, going by the soft attitude of the police as the accused were from political families close to the ruling party. He recalled how he had to fight in the courts to get an inquiry done on the drug abuse in Telangana and how the government was not willing to share the investigation information even with the national agencies like the Enforcement Directorate.

The police had become tools in the hands of KCR and this is evident from how some officers close to the Chief Minister were holding four to five departments while some senior officers were kept waiting for postings. This is reflected in the collapse of the law and order and monitoring of criminals, he said.

Prof. Kodandaram, president of Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS) said the Chief Minister’s silence on the issue doesn’t send the right signals. Not a single review was done by the Chief Minister on women’s issues in the last eight years, he said, adding that women have no confidence of justice in this government. He asked the political parties to fight for reducing liquor consumption in Telangana and also demand that fast-track courts be established in all the crimes related to women.

Prof. Haragopal said the education sector has been destroyed by the TRS government while the police have become more powerful. Yet, drug culture has grown while liquor consumption has been encouraged. How can the government allow minor children into pubs, he asked, while arguing that it was time to save Telangana. Congress that has given the new state has more responsibility in leading the agitation, he observed.

Later, the meeting highlighted several suggestions to be forwarded to the government. It suggested establishing fast-track courts, safety to the minor girl raped, the establishment of women police stations at all mandals, separate toll-free number for complaints, digitisation of criminals data, ban on porn sites, among others.