HYDERABAD-
TENSION GRIPPED
Tension gripped Hyderabad
Sunday,30th September,2012, as pro-Telangana activists clashed with
police and incidents of violence were reported from different places, even as a
large number of supporters headed for the venue to participate in the
'Telangana March' for a separate state. The march, to be held on Necklace
Road at the Hussain Sagar lake, has been called by the Telangana Joint Action
Committee (JAC) in support of demand for a separate state. Violence
erupted on the Osmania University campus here today after pro-Telangana
students clashed with police when they were prevented from taking out a rally
to join the 'Telangana March'.
Police used water cannons and lobbed teargas shells on pro-Telangana supporters
near the venue as some of them allegedly tried to defy the orders and proceeded
towards the Secretariat. Roads leading to the Secretariat, Chief
Minister's office and other high security areas were barricaded. A large
number of slogan-shouting students were seen breaking the barricades on the
campus and pelted stones at policemen who retaliated by firing tear-gas shells,
while some students were also taken into preventive custody. Pro-Telangana
activists belonging to different students organisations wanted to be allowed to
take out a rally to join the 'Telangana March', but the government had
yesterday denied them permission.
The Telangana supporters were seen trying to take out a rally towards the state
Secretariat, located near the Necklace Road, but they were prevented.
The protesters pelted stones at the security personnel at the 'Telugu Talli'
fly-over bridge near the Secretariat. Police lobbed tear gas shells to disperse
the protesters. Baton-wielding security forces chased away pro-Telangana activists while they
proceeded towards the venue near Ravindra Bharti area. Police also caned
scores of Telangana activists after they pelted stones at them near the
Secretariat, IMAX theatre, Khairatabad and other places on way to Necklace
Road. Congress MPs from the Telangana region were detained by the police
when they staged a dharna at the camp office of the Chief Minister N Kiran
Kumar Reddy as they were not allowed to meet him over the detention of
Telangana supporters, who were on their way to Hyderabad to participate in the
march, police said. The MPs, including Manda Jagannadham, Madhu Yashki
Goud, G Vivek, Gutta Sukhender Reddy, Rajaiah, and former MP K Keshav Rao
wanted to meet the Chief Minister at his camp office. Congress MP from
Telangana region, Madhu Yashki Goud, was seen engaged in a heated argument with
the police when they tried to stop him from proceeding towards the camp office. Goud said, "Party workers from my constituency were coming to Hyderabad
for the march but they were stopped and detained. I am getting calls. Other
Congress MPs were also getting similar calls. We wanted to meet the Chief
Minister. But we were not allowed. The Chief Minister did not meet us...so we
held the dharna."
The ruling party MPs expressed anger at the "high-handedness" of the
police, who have been allegedly detaining those coming to the city for
participating in the 'Telangana March', despite government's permission. After
hectic talks between the government and the Telangana leaders, the government
gave permission for holding the 'march' on Necklace Road from 3 PM to 7 PM. Slogan-shouting
Telangana supporters were seen going through various roads in the city. However, leaders of different political parties, including main opposition TDP,
TRS and BJP, alleged that thousands of pro-Telangana supporters and their party
activists were taken into preventive custody when they were on their way to
participate in the march. Police have made elaborate security arrangements
by deploying several companies of para-military forces, including BSF, CRPF,
CISF, ITBP, RAF and APSP, in the city. Apparently fearing violence, the
South Central Railway today cancelled as many as 27 passengers trains,
including local trains, while the APSRTC curtailed some of its bus services in
the capital city. State Home Minister P Sabita Indra Reddy and DGP V
Dinesh Reddy appealed to the Telangana march organisers to hold a peaceful
event. The DGP, who conducted an aerial survey of the city to monitor the
security arrangements and movement of marches, had earlier warned of stern
action against law-breakers.
Prof.
John Kurakar
