Telangana Mulls Advocates Protection Act After Lawyer Couple's Murder

Hyderabad: State government will soon bring in an Advocates Protection Act said the TRS working president and MAUD Minister KT Rama Rao on Tuesday for the safety of the legal fraternity in the State. The recent brutal killing of an advocate couple in the Peddapalli district is helped in this.

Chief Minister and TRS President K Chandrashekhar Rao will take steps for enactment of the law at the earliest following representations from advocates across the State, Rama Rao said: “We all were shocked by the incident. I have no hesitation in admitting that the accused is a TRS leader. But we suspended him from the party immediately after coming to know of his involvement in the murder. The Chief Minister is very particular about the maintenance of law and order in the State. The police have been asked to build a strong case and the culprits will be punished strictly as per the law. Justice will be ensured for the family of the deceased,” he said.

The Minister assured that the Standing Council members in various government departments who have been serving for long periods of 10-11 years would be removed and the vacancies will be filled. Opportunities will be given to aspiring advocates to serve as Standing Council members in different departments. Issues raised by the advocates would be taken up with the Chief Minister for early resolution. He recalled the active participation of the advocates during the Telangana movement.

Rama Rao ridiculed BJP candidate and sitting MLC N Ramchander Rao for seeking votes from the legal fraternity claiming credit for the TRS government sanctioning Rs 100 crore for the welfare of advocates in the State. “How can Ramchander Rao, an advocate himself, take credit for funds released by the State government? If he wields so much influence, he should make the Modi government allocate similar funds for advocate’s welfare in the country. He claims to be a strong votary of Telangana, but does not question the injustice meted out by the BJP government at the Centre to Telangana State,” he said.

The TRS working president challenged the BJP MLC to use his influence with the Centre and get the pending projects like Information Technology Investment Region, Bayyaram Steel Plant, and the Railway Coach Factory as was promised by the Centre to the newly formed State of Telangana. He challenged G Chinna Reddy of Congress and Ramchander Rao if they have initiated various programmes like the ones the TRS government has implemented for the welfare of advocates.

“There could be some disagreements, delays, or non-implementation of programmes in the State. But the TRS government led by Chief Minister Chandrashekhar Rao is outperforming all other States and one has to recognize it,” he added.

TRS fielded Surabhi Vani Devi in the MLC elections. “Only Chandrashekhar Rao and the TRS government have given the respect that Narasimha Rao deserved by celebrating the latter’s birth centenary and passing a resolution in the State Assembly seeking the Bharat Ratna award for him. “Being Narasimha Rao’s daughter is only an additional qualification, but Vani Devi has several other facets – as an artist, an educationist, and a mother. The winner should be able to work with the State government and get issues resolved,” he said.

Telangana State Planning Board vice-chairman B Vinod Kumar, TRS legal cell members, and others also spoke on the occasion.