HYDERABAD- TENSION GRIPPED

HYDERABAD- TENSION GRIPPED

 

 Tension gripped Hyderabad Sunday,30^th 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