In an action that BJP leaders have slammed as autocratic, dictatorial, and reminiscent of the Nizam’s rule, the Revanth Reddy-led Congress government in Telangana on August 12 placed BJP Telangana State President N. Ramchander Rao under illegal house arrest in Hyderabad. The move came just as he was leaving to perform kumkuma archana to Pedamma Thalli at the Banjara Hills Pedamma temple and to flag off a massive Tiranga rally carrying the national tricolour.
BJP leaders allege that this is not an isolated act but part of a consistent pattern of anti-Hindu actions by the Congress. They point out that the same Congress regime had earlier demolished the Pedamma temple in Banjara Hills, stolen the idol of the Goddess, broken Bonalu pots, and subjected Hindus to brutal torture. Across Telangana, grand Bonalu celebrations are taking place in honour of Pedamma, yet Revanth Reddy’s government is accused of repeatedly targeting this particular temple and obstructing worship.
According to BJP, the Congress has long stood with religious extremists who demolished Hindu temples and blocked Hindu rituals, and has now openly taken their agenda onto its shoulders. Unable to accept the success of the BJP and Hindu community’s struggle that led to the reconstruction of the Pedamma Thalli temple, the government is allegedly conspiring again to suppress Hindu worship and national pride.
నిజాం పాలనలో జరిగిన నిరంకుశత… ఇప్పుడు రేవంత్ రెడ్డి కాంగ్రెస్ పాలనలో పునరావృతం!
బంజారాహిల్స్ పెద్దమ్మ గుడిని కూల్చి, అమ్మవారి విగ్రహాన్ని అపహరించి, బోనాలు పగలగొట్టి, హిందువులను చిత్రహింసలకు గురిచేసిన కాంగ్రెస్ ప్రభుత్వం, ఇప్పుడు అమ్మవారికి పూజలు చేయనివ్వకుండా అడ్డుపడుతోంది.… pic.twitter.com/nzKR81HGvI
— N Ramchander Rao (@N_RamchanderRao) August 12, 2025
The BJP President, calling the action a “war on the Hindu community”, said that performing worship to his revered deity and proudly carrying the national flag are fundamental rights that no one can take away or stop. He accused the Congress of once again proving its deep disrespect towards Hindus, comparing the restrictions on worship and flag hoisting today to the oppressive days under the Nizam.
Hearing the news of the house arrest of Rao, Union Minister of Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar, who is busy with the Parliament session in Delhi, condemned and accused the Congress government of hatching a conspiracy for the votes of a particular community in the Jubilee Hills by-election.
Sanjay alleged that the Congress government is playing politics with the sentiments of Hindus for the sake of votes from one community.
In a separate statement, State Party Official Spokesperson and Media In-charge N. V. Subhash criticised the Congress government’s act and demanded the immediate release of the party chief. Preventing participation in “Har Ghar Tiranga” is a direct attack on democracy.
He said that under the previous BRS government’s regime, a number of such incidents had been witnessed, where the KCR government tried to gag the voices of the opposition by arresting them illegally, and that the Congress government is now following the same path. The people of Telangana have taught a lesson to the BRS and rejected that party, and they will teach the same lesson to the Revanth Reddy government in the coming days, he said.
MP D. K. Aruna strongly criticised that by surrounding the houses of BJP leaders across Telangana and placing them under house arrest, the Congress government has once again exposed its anti-democratic attitude. She said that the illegal house arrest of BJP Telangana State President N. Ramchander Rao by the police, preventing him from going to the Pedamma temple programme and the “Har Ghar Tiranga” patriotic rally, clearly shows to what extent the Congress government has stooped in its high-handedness.
BJP leaders N. V. S. S. Prabhakar, Ramachandra Reddy, Kasam Venkateshwarlu, BJP Mahila Morcha leaders, and many more condemned the arrest and said that the Revanth Reddy-led Congress government is bound to face the people’s revolt against their actions.
