Hashtag Politics | Telangana video of ‘grave’: BJP decries new low, TRS denies wrongdoing

Video shows freshly covered grave with poster of JP Nadda on the headstone, police probe on

The area is part of the Munugode Assembly constituency where a by-poll will be held on November 3. (Photo: ANI)

A video on social media, showing what appears to be a freshly covered grave at Malkapur in Choutuppal division of Telangana, with a poster of BJP national president JP Nadda on the headstone at one end, has drawn the ire of BJP leaders.

BJP general secretary of neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, Vishnu Vardhan Reddy, was the first to share the video and condemn it. The area is part of the Munugode Assembly constituency where a by-poll will be held on November 3.

Reddy alleged it was the handiwork of TRS workers. “This is despicable! TRS workers made a grave of our president which is beyond disgusting even going by TRS party standard,” he tweeted.

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News agency ANI quoted Telangana BJP leader NV Subash as saying, “Digging a grave and putting a picture of J.P. Nadda is stupidity. We condemn it and will file a police complaint.”

The mound of soil resembling a grave is covered with fresh garlands and flowers, with Nadda’s photo on a flex fixed under a signboard that reads Regional Fluoride Mitigation and Research Centre, Choutuppal. At the end of the short video, four people can be seen walking away from the place.

Deputy Commissioner of Police of Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district, Narayan Reddy, said he too became aware of the video from social media. “It was brought to my notice, but no one has lodged a complaint so far. It is difficult to make out if the mound of soil was made first and the BJP leader’s flex erected over it, or vice versa. I’ve sent a team to find out what happened. Right now, we can’t say who did it,” he said.

TRS leaders have denied culpability, saying there is no proof that TRS workers were behind it. Nalgonda MLA Bhupal Reddy said TRS workers would never do such a thing. “I think that disaffected BJP members did it, and are now blaming the TRS. Why would TRS workers do such a thing?” he said.

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Several national BJP leaders reacted to the incident. Rajya Sabha MP Jyotiraditya Scindia tweeted in Hindi: “With the growing influence of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Telangana, the TRS is panicking. Its defeat in the coming Assembly elections is definite. It has carried out this reprehensible act and can’t be condemned enough. People of the state will surely give a fitting reply to this act in the coming days.”

Calling the incident “a new low in Indian politics”, Union Cabinet minister Smriti Irani quoted the Hindi proverb “vinash kale vipreeth buddhi (when one’s end approaches, their ability to think vanishes)”.

Saying that the incident “marks a disturbing and disgraceful new low in the political discourse”, Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri said, “This clearly shows how dispensations that aspire to challenge the BJP in Telangana are intimidated by our momentum.”