Roja gives preview of TDP intolerance of women

Roja, YCP leader, has lashed out at the TDP government regarding a series of affronts to women. Roja, who was an actress, said at Lotus Pond headquarters of her party on Monday that had the Ravela Susheel incident happened anywhere in Andhra, the minister, Ravela Kishore Babu's son would have got away, blaming the puppy and forgetting the Muslim woman's plight on the road. Susheel stalked and chased a Muslim woman at Banjara Hills in Hyderabad, following which he had to be taken into custody under the Nirbhaya act. This followed the pressure put by the Muslim woman that if Susheel was spared she would stage a dharna at the police station. Susheel tried to escape from blame stating he loved dogs so he went to rescue a dog, while actually he was supposed to have tried to drag the woman inside his limousine in broad daylight. Roja said TDP leaders had no respect for woman as such. The TDP government had no right to celebrate International Women's Day on Tuesday, she added. The TDP leaders were belittling towards women. The Minister who defended his son in the Banjara Hills incident had no right to continue in office. Ravela Kishore Babu should be sacked, she said. Roja also referred to macho Bollywood Star Balakrishna's latest remarks against women actresses he was acting with. Balakrishna is TDP MLA from the Hindupuram constituency. What Roja did was to put the ball in the other court. She had been accused of passing unparliamentary remarks against women legislators who came to the rescue of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu in the last Assembly session. The current assembly session has begun, but there was no time to announce the action against Roja by Speaker Kodela Siva Prasad who had constituted a House committee to give punishment for Roja. She had already been suspended from the House for 1 year. In all likelihood, the Roja matter was expected to be taken on Tuesday coinciding with International Women's Day. Roja then gave a preview.