Harish Rao demands reversal of “ill-advised” decisions affecting Telangana Special Police

Harish Rao felt that the Chief Minister’s decision sends a wrong message to the forces dedicated to safeguarding Telangana.

Hyderabad: Former Minister and senior BRS MLA T Harish Rao found fault with Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s decision to exclude the Telangana Special Police from his personal security detail, calling it a “disrespectful” move that undermines the morale of 17,000 State special police personnel. He urged the Chief Minister to initiate corrective measures immediately and revoke the orders.

Likening the actions of the Chief Minister to a father not trusting his sons, Harish Rao felt that the Chief Minister’s decision sends a wrong message to the forces dedicated to safeguarding Telangana. He reminded that the Telangana Special Police was the State’s equivalent of a military unit.

“The Chief Minister’s decision to sideline them is not only misguided but also damages the morales of those personel,” he said. He suggested that the State government constitute a Cabinet sub-committee to address the issues faced by the Special Police with a fixed timeframe.

The BRS legislator reminded that Revanth Reddy had promised to implement Ek Police (Unified Police) system during the election campaign and questioned him over the delay in its implementation. He demanded the immediate reinstatement of suspended and dismissed special police constables to restore confidence within the force.

Harish Rao also took exception to a recent circular from the Chief Security Officer of the State Secretariat, which imposed restrictions on the Special Police personnel from discussing their issues. He said they were warned against even “likes and shares” on social media, which could lead to stringent action.

“It is unacceptable to strip away the basic constitutional right to freedom of expression from our police personnel. No one has the power to silence their voices,” Rao asserted.