Dileep Konatham, the former Digital Media Director for the Telangana government under the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), was detained by Hyderabad’s Cyber Crime Police on Thursday.
Mr. Konatham was taken into custody from his residence in Gachibowli, with reports initially suggesting that the detention was linked to his social media activity, particularly a repost of a video related to the Jainoor clashes which erupted over allegations of rape and attempted murder, leading to communal violence that required police intervention.
The arrest was immediately condemned by BRS leaders, including K.T. Rama Rao, the working president of BRS, who accused the Congress government of using “revenge politics” to silence critics.
KTR portrayed the arrest as an example of the government’s intolerance towards freedom of speech, claiming that such actions reflect a shift towards autocratic governance in Telangana.
“This is not just about Dileep; it’s about the suppression of voices that question the government’s inefficiencies,” Mr. Rama Rao stated in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. He further criticized the government’s handling of flood relief efforts and other public welfare measures, suggesting Mr. Konatham’s arrest was retaliatory.
The incident has drawn attention to Telangana’s broader issue of freedom of expression, with opposition parties and civil rights activists questioning the legality and motives behind Mr. Konatham’s detention.
Mr. Konatham, known for his digital activism and outspoken nature, has been a key figure in the BRS’s digital strategy, often engaging with the public through social media to critique opposition policies. His detention has thus been interpreted by many as an attempt to curb this digital dissent.