Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka has publicly called on political actors to keep political warfare from harming democratic institutions. Alongside Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and in support of Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar, Bhatti has made clear that no matter how much political rivalry there might be, the constitutional sanctity of the legislative house must never be compromised.
The move hits right at the center of the growing friction between the ruling Congress-led government and the opposition party Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS). Opposition reaction : The BRS has strongly denied the accusations of the government and accused it of using state forces to quash any forms of legal opposition. Accountability vs. attack : Opposition political parties may have a full right to oppose the government and its actions, but it should not undermine the umpire of the house. Not behind immunity walls : Protection of the institution from any form of abuse should not be used as a means to protect the government or presiding members from accountability.
Institutions last forever : According to Bhatti, the core point to remember is that politics is short-lived, whereas the structural credibility of the Assembly must be maintained forever.
Healthy political friction : Opposition of Congress and BRS will keep up with each other and it is crucial for accountability.
