A political confrontation erupted in the Telangana Assembly on Monday as the ruling Congress and Opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) clashed over alleged objectionable remarks against Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar.

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy condemned the remarks allegedly made by BRS MLC Tata Madhu and demanded an apology from BRS president K Chandrashekar Rao. Tata Madhu, however, denied making any statement targeting the Speaker.

The controversy unfolded on the opening day of the Telangana Assembly session, which also witnessed a separate confrontation between BRS leaders and police outside the Assembly premises.

Revanth Reddy demands action against BRS MLC

Raising the issue in the House, Revanth Reddy said the remarks against the presiding officer could not be tolerated. He demanded that K Chandrashekar Rao apologise and sought the resignation of the BRS leader accused of making the remarks.

The Chief Minister also called for the membership of the legislator responsible for the alleged remarks to be revoked.

Congress leaders said the matter was particularly serious as Gaddam Prasad Kumar is a Dalit leader holding the constitutional post of Speaker.

SC legislators from the Congress also met Revanth Reddy and urged strict action against Tata Madhu.

Congress seeks suspension of Tata Madhu

The Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee demanded the immediate suspension of Tata Madhu from the Legislative Council over the alleged remarks against the Speaker.

Congress workers also protested against the BRS MLC by burning his effigy.

The BRS legislator, however, denied making objectionable remarks against the Speaker. He maintained that the comments attributed to him were not directed at Gaddam Prasad Kumar.

BRS leaders detained outside Assembly

The controversy inside the House came amid another confrontation outside the Telangana Assembly.

BRS working president K T Rama Rao, former minister T Harish Rao and other party leaders were detained by police after they attempted to enter the Assembly premises wearing black T-shirts.

The BRS leaders were protesting against what they described as the Congress government’s performance during its 1,000 days in office.

The confrontation between BRS leaders and police added to the tension surrounding the opening day of the Assembly session.

Telangana High Court intervenes

The political dispute also took another turn after the Telangana High Court directed the Director General of Police not to prevent BRS MLAs from entering the Assembly.

The court’s intervention came amid the Opposition’s allegations concerning the treatment of its legislators outside the Assembly.

With Congress demanding disciplinary action over the alleged remarks and the BRS accusing the government of suppressing the Opposition, the first day of the Assembly session ended amid a sharp political confrontation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi revived his ‘dimagi Naxal’ remark while addressing the centenary celebrations of Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) in Delhi on Saturday, using the term to criticise his opponents.

Speaking to students at the Delhi college, PM Modi described the phrase as a “homeopathic pill” and said it had prompted those he described as “dimagi Naxals” to come forward and reveal their views.

The prime minister also used his address to speak to Gen-Z about India’s development journey and asked students to consider the challenges the country had faced in the past.

PM Modi recalls past crises

During his speech, PM Modi referred to the 2013 Kedarnath disaster and the 2008 global financial crisis while criticising the handling of national emergencies by previous governments.

He said the government at the time of the Kedarnath disaster was shaken and questioned its ability to respond to the crisis.

Referring to the 2008 banking crisis, PM Modi alleged that the government of the time failed to effectively deal with the situation and claimed that India’s banking system was pushed close to collapse.

Prime minister lists challenges faced by his government

PM Modi also highlighted several major global crises that occurred during his government’s tenure.

He mentioned the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, disruptions to global trade and supply chains, and the crisis in West Asia.

The prime minister said there had been concerns that India would struggle during these crises but argued that the country had continued to move forward.

PM Modi’s earlier SRCC visit

PM Modi had earlier visited SRCC in 2013, when he was the chief minister of Gujarat. His speech at the college received significant attention, particularly on social media, ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha election.

His latest visit came during the college’s centenary celebrations, where his address focused on young people, India’s development ambitions and the challenges faced by the country.

The Nagaland Legislative Assembly has unanimously passed a resolution urging the Centre to withdraw the Protected Area Permit (PAP) regime in the state, arguing that the restrictions are affecting tourism, investment, international engagement and economic opportunities.

The resolution was moved by Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Yanthungo Patton and was adopted through a voice vote.

PAP regime was reimposed in 2024

The Protected Area Permit regulates the entry of foreign nationals into notified areas. The regime had been relaxed in Nagaland in 2011 but was reimposed on December 17, 2024.

During the Assembly discussion, Patton said Nagaland had emerged as a peaceful destination for tourism, culture, investment, entrepreneurship and international engagement. He said these sectors were increasingly contributing to employment and livelihood opportunities, particularly for young people.

The resolution also highlighted events and initiatives such as the Hornbill Festival and the “Land of Festivals” initiative, saying they had helped showcase Nagaland and India’s cultural diversity internationally while generating economic opportunities for local communities and entrepreneurs.

Assembly links PAP restrictions to economic concerns

The state government argued that the return of the PAP regime has complicated efforts to expand international tourism, business and investment.

The Assembly resolution said the regime was creating difficulties for international tourism, business and investment, along with cultural exchanges and overseas partnerships.

However, the state maintained that relaxing the permit regime would not mean compromising national security.

The resolution assured the Centre that foreign nationals could continue to be registered, regulated and monitored through technology-based and institutional mechanisms in coordination with central agencies.

Neiphiu Rio backs review of PAP regime

Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio also participated in the debate along with Tourism and Higher Education Minister Temjen Imna Along, Industries and Commerce Advisor Hekani Jakhalu and MLA Naiba Konyak.

The legislators maintained that Nagaland’s present circumstances warranted a different approach, stressing that the state was peaceful and seeking greater opportunities in tourism, investment and other sectors.

Rio linked the demand to Nagaland’s economic aspirations and the need to create more opportunities for young people while maintaining the state’s commitment to national security.

“Security and development can go together,” Rio said.

The resolution further argued that regulations that have outlived their developmental relevance should not become barriers to employment, economic activity and Nagaland’s participation in the wider national and global economy.