AP: Shankar complains against CM under SC/ST Act

HYDERABAD: Former minister and MLA P Shankar Rao, on Friday, lodged a complaint with the police against chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy under the SC/ST Atrocity Act. The reason: the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) office staff had humiliated him as per the directions of the chief minister by refusing him permission to address a media conference from the CLP office.The police, without registering the complaint, referred the matter for legal opinion.Saifabad division OSD V Harshavardhan Raju said they received a complaint from Shankar Rao’s personal assistant on Friday. “We did not register any case against the chief minister. The incident took place on the Assembly premises. We will take legal opinion on the matter,” the OSD said.Shankar Rao, earlier in the day, lodged a similar complaint with Speaker N Manohar at his chambers on the Assembly premises. He also filed a privilege notice with the Speaker stating that the CLP leader and executive committee members infringed on his rights. When he tried to address media, they humiliated him by locking the media room, he said.Speaking to reporters outside the CLP office on Friday, Shankar Rao accused the chief minister and other leaders of suppressing his constitutional rights. “The CLP has been showing discrimination against Dalit MLAs and violating their constitutional rights,” he alleged.He said if the police fail to register a case against Kiran Reddy and the CLP executive members under SC/ST Atrocities Act, he would approach the court.The CLP office-bearers have recently decided not to let the office premises to be used for criticising the chief minister or the government.Shankar Rao, known for his frequent attacks on the chief minister, used to launch his tirades against Kiran Reddy from the CLP office.