Telangana MLA Malreddy Ranga Reddy faces calls for suspension over viral bus-touching video

Ibrahimpatnam MLA Malreddy Ranga Reddy faced controversy after a video circulated showing an interaction with a girl student. He defended himself by stating the video misrepresented a friendly exchange on a public bus. Reddy claimed he aimed to understand the impact of the free bus travel scheme for women. Opposition leaders called for the intervention of the state's SHE Teams regarding the incident.

Hyderabad: Telangana Congress MLA Malreddy Ranga Reddy has come under criticism after a video purportedly showing him repeatedly touching a young woman during an interaction on a moving Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) bus surfaced online.The incident allegedly took place on Tuesday, when the Ibrahimpatnam MLA boarded a bus travelling from Ibrahimpatnam towards Yamjal to interact with beneficiaries of the Telangana government's Mahalakshmi Free Ride scheme.Video Shows MLA Allegedly Holding Woman's Hand, Touching Her WaistThe now viral video circulating on social media purportedly shows Ranga Reddy seated on the bus and speaking with a young college student.At one point, the MLA is seen holding the woman's hand as she appears to pull away. He is subsequently seen placing his hand around her waist while continuing the interaction.The woman appears visibly uncomfortable in the video and moves away from the MLA's position. However, the video purportedly shows him continuing to hold her hand during the interaction.Two women can also be seen standing beside the MLA as the conversation takes place.The video has since been widely circulated on social media, with users questioning the alleged conduct and the woman's apparent discomfort.MLA Was Interacting With Mahalakshmi Scheme BeneficiariesRanga Reddy had boarded the TGSRTC bus while assessing the impact of the state government's Mahalakshmi Free Ride scheme, which provides free bus travel to women, girls and transgender people.During the interaction, the college student reportedly said that the scheme had helped her save around ₹45,000.The alleged touching took place during this interaction.BRS Leader reacts Patlolla Karthik Indra Reddy, an active politician from Telangana affiliated with the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), reacted to the incident and said, “Rather than filing false cases against our cadre, this government should file a case against this MLA and suspend him from their party. If the government fails to do so, we will take the fight directly to Ibrahimpatnam.”Chinmayi Sripada Says 'He Has No Idea Of Consent'The video has triggered criticism from several quarters, including playback singer Chinmayi Sripada.Reacting to the footage on X, Chinmayi said the Congress should train its male politicians to respect women's personal boundaries.“Doesn’t matter how old he is – she is not comfortable, and this man has no idea of consent,” she said.Netizens Question Alleged ConductThe video recieved major backlash online, particularly from women users who questioned the alleged touching and the apparent discomfort shown by the woman.Several users argued that a person's age or political position should not be considered a justification for touching someone without consent. Others questioned the alleged conduct in the context of the Congress's public messaging on women's rights and its “Smash Patriarchy” slogan.The reactions, however, are based on the video circulating online and do not by themselves establish the circumstances or intent behind the interaction.