Telangana Congress Leaders' 'Chalo Secretariat' Rally Foiled; Placed Under House Arrest

HYDERABAD: Police on Thursday placed the leaders of the Congress party under house arrest to foil the Chalo secretariat call given by them to protest against the inflated electricity bills based on new slabs.

Telangana Pradesh  Congress Committee(TPCC) President Uttam Kumar Reddy, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Nalgonda MP Komatireddy Venkat Reddy and senior leader V Hanumantha Rao were placed under house arrest. Police forces were deployed at the residences of the leaders since morning to prevent them from going towards the state secretariat. 
 
Even as the leaders questioned the police action, a heated argument ensued between them and the police officials.

Reacting to the police move, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy said that Telangana is currently under a dictatorial rule and the government is denying them their right to raise the voice in connection with people's issues. The government, which had asked people not to pay rent during the lockdown, has now imposed a huge burden in the form of high electricity bills during the lockdown period," he said.

The MP said the government is collecting hefty user charges in the garb of new electricity slabs. He said the government should provide relief to people in the time of lockdown distress.

The Congress leaders called for ''Chalo secretariat' rally demanding that the government waive off the electricity bills for three months. They slammed the government for resorting to their arrest to prevent them from highlighting the hefty electricity bills.