In Hyderabad, some unidentified assailants are harassing the city’s first citizen, Mayor Gadwala Vijayalakshmi. This development has created a huge uproar in the city’s political circles and among the public. This has led to a new debate on the safety of leaders in public life.
Mayor Gadwala Vijayalakshmi has filed a complaint with the Banjara Hills police regarding these inhuman threats. In her complaint, she stated that strangers are calling her every night at midnight and threatening her and her father, senior political leader K. Kesava Rao with threats of ‘seeing the end’. She also alleged that they are using extremely vulgar language and verbal abuse to cause her mental distress.
It is highly condemnable that a woman leader in public service is being subjected to such insults. The police registered the mayor’s complaint and immediately started an investigation. They are trying to identify the accused with the help of call data records and cyber technology.
The mayor said that these assailants are said to be related to a person named ‘Sardar’ from the Borabanda area. Police suspect that this harassment may be related to some dispute that took place in the past with this person named ‘Sardar’. Public representatives not only serve the people but also constantly work to resolve their problems.
Such threats and harassment against such people not only discourages public servants but also makes new ones hesitate to enter politics. If a mayor faces such a situation, the question arises as to how the safety of ordinary citizens will be? The city people are demanding that the police examine this case with utmost priority and immediately arrest and severely punish the accused.
By catching the assailants, a clear message needs to be sent to those who want to commit such crimes. Public representatives, especially women leaders, should be provided with stronger security.
Praising and criticizing their performance is part of democracy, but personal harassment and threats to life are not acceptable. Only by providing security to public leaders can they serve the people fearlessly, and thus citizens will also get better security.
