Hyderabad: A Dussehra effigy in Hyderabad's old city turned a festival tableau into a political brawl, and then into a threat that has drawn police scrutiny.
BRS workers gathered at the Sitarambagh grounds to burn an effigy casting Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy as Ravana, with former chief minister and BRS chief K Chandrashekar Rao depicted as Lord Rama aiming an arrow at him. The cutout listed alleged scams — "22A scam," "HCU scam" and "15% in secretariat."
When word of the demonstration spread, Telangana State Fisheries Corporation chairman and Congress leader Mettu Sai Kumar reached the grounds with supporters, and they allegedly attacked BRS workers with sticks to stop the effigy being burnt. Videos of the assault circulated on social media, and police took the accused into custody and said they were investigating.
Justifying the attack, Sai Kumar said the BRS was indulging in "provocative politics." "How can KCR become Lord Rama? He is the Ravana of the state... Today we only attacked them; next time we will bury them," he told reporters.
A similar confrontation was reported in Shivampet in Medak district, where Congress and BRS workers clashed during Vijayadashami celebrations and police resorted to a lathi charge.
Both parties have long traded accusations over governance and alleged scams. The clash has now raised questions about how political protest is conducted at public festivals — and where the line falls between symbolism and violence.
Police said the accused had been taken into custody and were investigating. Both parties accused each other of attacking and provoking. The episode has revived the challenge of keeping order when political protest meets public festival.