Telangana Congress MLA Malareddy Ranga Reddy has found himself embroiled in a major controversy after the principal opposition party, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), accused him of inappropriately touching a female student on a moving bus. A video of the incident has gone viral on social media, prompting BRS leaders to demand stringent action against the legislator. However, MLA Malareddy Ranga Reddy has vehemently denied the allegations, calling them a politically motivated attempt to tarnish his image.
The viral video shows Congress MLA Malareddy Ranga Reddy from Ibrahimpatnam constituency interacting with two female students on a government bus. The conversation reportedly revolved around the Congress government's 'Mahalakshmi' free bus travel scheme for women, which has gained significant popularity in the state. In the video, the students can be heard telling the MLA that they have been benefiting from the scheme for the past year and are saving approximately ₹45,000 annually, providing substantial financial relief to their families.
Viral Video and BRS's Serious Allegations
During the interaction captured in the video, the MLA was seen holding one of the student's hands, which triggered the controversy. Following the video's emergence, senior BRS leader R. S. Praveen Kumar swiftly reacted, questioning the MLA's conduct. He asked what necessitated the MLA to hold the student's hand and "inappropriately touch" her. Speaking to the media, Praveen Kumar stated, "Is this not a crime? Is this not an insult to a woman's dignity?" He emphasized that such acts cannot be tolerated and that the law must take its course.
Praveen Kumar demanded that the Telangana State Women's Commission take cognizance of the matter and immediately summon the MLA after seeking legal advice. He also criticized the police and women's safety wings in a post on the social media platform 'X'. He wrote, "DGP Women Safety, where are the SHE teams here? Take a complaint from the RTC conductor and register a case under IPC Section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty)." He further alleged that both the BJP and Congress are competing with each other in insulting women, giving the incident a broad political dimension. The BRS leader also raised concerns about the credibility of ongoing government schemes for women in light of this incident.
MLA Malareddy Ranga Reddy's Denial and Clarification
In response to these grave accusations, Congress MLA Malareddy Ranga Reddy released a video clarifying the entire incident and completely dismissing the allegations. He asserted that his intentions were not at all malicious and that he was speaking to the students about the 'Mahalakshmi' scheme with "fatherly affection." He accused the BRS of distorting the incident for political gain and attempting to tarnish his image.
In his clarification, the MLA explained that the incident occurred on October 6 when he boarded a bus from Bonguluru, on the city's outskirts, after attending a meeting at the District Collector's office. He stated that he was interacting with common people on the bus, including these students. The students had requested more buses due to the increased passenger traffic, a direct result of the free travel under the Mahalakshmi scheme. The MLA clarified that the video was shot when the bus was taking a turn, and the BRS is misinterpreting it. He firmly stated that he holds immense respect for women and could not be part of any such unethical act. This entire matter has now heated up Telangana politics, and further investigations and political reactions are awaited.
The Freelance independently does not verify the claims made in this viral video on social media platforms. This video has become a subject of wide discussion on social media. Video courtesy: Respective social media handle / creator.
