Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLC Naveen Kumar Reddy on Tuesday said the party would continue raising public issues despite the arrests of its leaders amid an escalating political confrontation with the Telangana government.

Reddy, who was arrested following the developments at the Telangana Legislative Assembly on Monday, said the BRS would continue to raise the concerns of people in both the Legislative Council and Assembly.

“No matter how many illegal arrests they make, we will stand on the side of the people,” Reddy said in a statement. He added that the party leadership had asked its leaders to continue fighting for public issues and said the BRS would hold the government led by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy accountable.

Naveen Reddy arrested amid Assembly row

The BRS MLC was taken into custody on Tuesday morning, a day after a confrontation involving BRS legislators and police outside the Assembly premises.

Reports said police arrested Reddy from his residence in Hyderabad. BRS leaders have described the action as part of a wider attempt to restrict opposition legislators from raising issues against the government. 

The circumstances surrounding the arrests have become a fresh point of confrontation between the ruling Congress and the opposition BRS.

BRS condemns arrests of MLCs

Reddy's statement came as the BRS condemned the arrest of fellow party MLC T Madhusudan Rao, popularly known as Tata Madhu.

Police arrested the two BRS MLCs in connection with a case concerning alleged derogatory and abusive remarks against Telangana Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar. According to reports, the case was registered following a complaint by the Speaker's Officer on Special Duty. 

The police action has triggered competing allegations from the two political sides, with the BRS questioning the manner in which its legislators were detained.

BRS alleges political targeting

The opposition party has alleged that police action was being used to prevent its legislators from raising public concerns and challenging the Congress government.

BRS leader T Harish Rao alleged that police, acting on the instructions of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, prevented party MLAs and MLCs from entering the Assembly and used force against them. These allegations have been made by the BRS and have not been independently established. 

Reddy's remarks similarly framed the arrests as an attempt to deter the opposition from continuing its political campaign.

Police case linked to Assembly incident

The arrests are linked to events surrounding a protest by BRS legislators at the Assembly on September 7.

According to the police complaint, BRS leaders allegedly assembled in the security area of the Assembly and made remarks directed at the Speaker. Police registered a case under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Tata Madhu has denied insulting the Speaker, saying that remarks attributed to him were directed at police personnel during the confrontation. 

Political confrontation intensifies

The arrests have added another flashpoint to the continuing Congress-BRS political conflict in Telangana.

For the BRS, the incident has become an opportunity to accuse the Revanth Reddy government of suppressing opposition voices. The ruling side, meanwhile, has maintained that police action relates to the allegations arising from the Assembly incident.

With BRS leaders vowing to continue raising public issues despite the arrests, the dispute is likely to remain a major political issue in Telangana as the Assembly and Legislative Council proceedings continue.

Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLC Thatha Madhusudan Rao, popularly known as Tata Madhu, was arrested by Saifabad Police on Tuesday in connection with a case over alleged derogatory and abusive remarks against Telangana Legislative Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar.

Police officials said Tata Madhu was arrested around 7 am from his residence at the New MLA Quarters in Hyderabad. He was subsequently taken to Narayanguda Police Station and is being produced before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Court at Nampally for judicial custody proceedings. 

Case registered after Assembly incident

The case was registered at Saifabad Police Station following a complaint by Pollepalli Venkatesham, Officer on Special Duty to the Telangana Assembly Speaker.

According to the complaint, the alleged remarks were made on Monday, September 7, when the Assembly was in session and security arrangements were in place. Police said Tata Madhu and BRS MLC N Naveen Kumar Reddy, along with other party members, were present in the security area of the Assembly and allegedly made remarks against the Speaker in the presence of journalists, media personnel, Assembly staff and security personnel. 

Police registered Crime No. 364/2026 under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The investigation is being conducted by Saifabad Police. 

Tata Madhu denies insulting Speaker

Tata Madhu has denied that his remarks were directed at Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar. According to reports, the BRS MLC maintained that his comments were directed towards police personnel during the confrontation surrounding the BRS protest.

The BRS has also rejected the allegations against its leaders and accused the Congress-led Telangana government of targeting opposition representatives.

Naveen Kumar Reddy also taken into custody

The controversy also led to police action against another BRS MLC, Naveen Kumar Reddy. Police took him into custody from his residence in Kokapet on Tuesday morning in connection with the same case. 

The arrests came amid heightened tensions between the BRS and the ruling Congress following a protest by BRS legislators outside the Assembly on September 7.

BRS protest triggers confrontation

The dispute began when BRS leaders arrived at the Telangana Assembly wearing black T-shirts carrying slogans criticising the Congress government's record and its implementation of electoral guarantees.

Police stopped the legislators from entering the Assembly premises, leading to a confrontation between BRS members and security personnel. Several senior BRS leaders, including party working president KT Rama Rao and former minister T Harish Rao, were detained during the episode. 

The BRS subsequently accused the government of using police action to suppress opposition voices, while the ruling side maintained that action was being taken in connection with the alleged conduct of BRS leaders.

Speaker's remarks intensify political row

The issue gained further attention inside the Assembly after Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar became emotional while recounting the alleged remarks and circumstances surrounding the incident.

Congress leaders condemned the alleged comments and demanded action against Tata Madhu. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy also called for action against the BRS MLC, describing the alleged remarks as an issue concerning the dignity of the Speaker's office.

The BRS, however, has maintained that the allegations against Tata Madhu are politically motivated and that the government is attempting to target its leaders amid the ongoing confrontation over the Congress government's performance.

Political tensions continue in Telangana

The arrest of Tata Madhu and the detention of Naveen Kumar Reddy have added another flashpoint to the increasingly heated Congress-BRS confrontation in Telangana.

With police investigating the allegations and the BRS continuing to question the arrests, the dispute is expected to remain a major issue during the ongoing Assembly session.

The case also places the focus on the balance between legislative conduct, political protest and police action as both parties continue to put forward competing accounts of the September 7 incident.

BRS leaders staged a protest outside the Narayanguda Police Station in Hyderabad on Tuesday, demanding the release of party MLCs Tata Madhu and Naveen Kumar Reddy, who were arrested following Monday’s confrontation involving BRS legislators and police outside the Telangana Assembly. 

BRS steps up protest after MLC arrests

The demonstration came hours after police arrested the two BRS MLCs in connection with the developments at the Assembly. Tata Madhu was arrested around 7 am and taken to Narayanguda Police Station before being produced before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Nampally for judicial custody. 

BRS leaders have strongly objected to the arrests, accusing the Congress-led Telangana government of using police action against Opposition representatives. The party has maintained that its legislators were protesting over public issues and alleged that the arrests were politically motivated. 

Tata Madhu booked over alleged remarks

The immediate legal issue concerns alleged derogatory and abusive remarks against Telangana Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar during Monday’s confrontation.

Police registered Crime No. 364/2026 at Saifabad Police Station under Section 352 read with Section 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The complaint was filed by Pollepalli Venkatesham, Officer on Special Duty to the Speaker. 

According to the complaint, Tata Madhu and Naveen Kumar Reddy, along with others, were present in a security area of the Assembly when the alleged remarks were made in the presence of journalists, Assembly staff and security personnel. Police said the investigation is underway. 

Tata Madhu, however, has denied insulting the Speaker and said his comments were directed at police personnel during the confrontation. 

BRS calls arrests action against Opposition

The arrests have widened an already intense political confrontation between the BRS and the Congress government led by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy.

BRS leaders have described the arrests as an attempt to restrict the Opposition from raising public concerns inside the legislature. BRS MLC Naveen Reddy, following his arrest, said the party would continue raising issues concerning people despite the action against its leaders.

BRS working president KT Rama Rao has also accused the state government of resorting to arrests and detentions instead of addressing what the party says are unfulfilled election commitments.

Dispute began with Assembly protest

The latest confrontation follows a BRS protest outside the Telangana Assembly on Monday. KTR, former minister T Harish Rao and other BRS legislators had gathered to protest against the Congress government's performance after 1,000 days in office.

The legislators were wearing black T-shirts carrying slogans criticising the government. Police said the issue was not the colour of the clothing but the slogans printed on the T-shirts, which they described as objectionable. The standoff subsequently escalated into a confrontation between BRS legislators and police. 

Several BRS leaders, including KTR and Harish Rao, were detained during the protest. Police have also registered separate cases against several BRS leaders over allegations of obstructing and assaulting police personnel during the confrontation. 

Political row intensifies in Telangana

The dispute also reached the Assembly, where Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar became emotional while the alleged remarks were discussed. Congress leaders condemned the alleged comments and sought action against Tata Madhu, while the BRS rejected the allegations. 

The Telangana High Court separately directed the state DGP not to prevent BRS MLAs from entering the Assembly to attend the ongoing session, adding another legal dimension to the confrontation between the ruling party and the Opposition. 

The protest outside Narayanguda Police Station marks a further escalation as the BRS presses for the release of its arrested MLCs, while police proceedings linked to Monday's Assembly confrontation continue.