Congress makes rain a criminal-defamation case
Harish Rao has taken two Congress leaders to court over claims that his temple visits involved rituals against Telangana’s prosperity and rainfall. The allegations remain unproven.
Rainfall becomes evidence in a criminal-defamation complaint filed at Nampally.
BRS MLA T. Harish Rao’s lawyers filed a criminal defamation complaint on September 17 against TPCC president B. Mahesh Kumar Goud and Congress MLC, government whip Addanki Dayakar, according to multiple reports. The complaint was filed before the Special Judicial First Class Magistrate Court for elected representatives at Nampally under Section 356 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. Videos and newspaper clippings were reportedly submitted on pen drives.
The dispute began with Congress leaders’ allegations that Harish Rao’s temple visits involved “kshudra pujas” intended to hinder Telangana’s prosperity or prevent rain. Dayakar was reported as saying: “Harish Rao is visiting temples to hinder the prosperity of Telangana and to pray that there are no rains in the state.” There is no independent evidence establishing the allegation.
Harish Rao says the visit was religious and customary, and has demanded that the claims be proved or withdrawn. Goud, meanwhile, says he stands by his remarks and has said he is ready to fight the matter in court. The complaint number, next hearing date and whether the magistrate has taken cognisance were not available in the material reviewed. For now, Telangana’s rainfall has been dragged into a Congress-BRS legal weather report.