AP Congress Vice President Kolanukonda Shivaji. File photo: Leaflet
AP Congress vice-president Kolanukonda Shivaji condemned the “escalating violence and systemic suppression of the opposition by the NDA government in Parliament and the TDP-led coalition in the state.
In a statement on Sunday, Mr Shivaji referred to what he claimed were targeted attacks on Congress party offices and members and demanded the immediate arrest of those inciting the unrest.
He said that during the recent budget session in Parliament, Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi was stopped from raising critical questions about the Epstein files, the Adani documents and the impact of bilateral free trade rules on Indian farmers.
“Instead of a democratic debate, Mr. Gandhi was met with unprecedented tactics to stifle his voice, including silencing his microphones and diverting the attention of Parliament,” he said.
In the state, the political climate has shifted from “democratic dissent to targeted hooliganism,” he said. He accused BJP state president PVN Madhav of instigating the attack on the Congress headquarters in Vijayawada.
He said such violence in a democracy was unacceptable and reiterated his demand for the immediate arrest of Mr. Madhav for fomenting trouble.
He warned that if the police did not intervene, the party would escalate the matter by taking it to the Director General of Police (DGP) and the state governor.
Published – 23 Feb 2026 09:18 IST
