More trouble for ministers over Telangana row

Hyderabad: A court in Hyderabad on Friday directed the Hyderabad city police to book a criminal case against the 16 state ministers from Andhra and Rayala Seema region for calling Telangana state supporters "anti national".

The court directed the Saifabad police station to book a case against the ministers under sections 499, 500 and 153 A and start investigations.

The court issued the orders on a petition filed by an advocate Sri Ganga Rao on behalf of the Telangana Lawyers Joint Action committee. The court asked the police to report back by August 25 about the action taken.

With this the storm over Andhra-Seema Ministers representation to Srikrishna committee has further intensified.

The ministers led by endowment minister Gade Venkat Reddy had met the committee last week and submitted a detailed representation opposing the demand for separate Telangana.

The representation had described the demand as "anti national" saying such demands will pose a threat to integrity. They had also criticised the central government for setting up a committee to look in to such an "anti national" demand.

Telangana lawyers moved the court against the ministers a day after Telangana Rashtra Samiti, BJP and Telangana Joint Action Committee leaders met the state governor ESL Narasimhan demanding that he should make the ministers tender an apology to the people of Telangana or else dismiss them.

The governor assured the delegation led by TRs President K Chandrasekhara Rao that he will seek the copy of the representation submitted by the ministers to Srikrishna committee and take the necessary steps.

Apart from TRS, BJP and other pro Telangana organisations, many with in the Congress party have also demanded that the ministers should be sacked for making such offending remarks against the people of Telangana.

Meanwhile, Gade Venkat Reddy once again denied making any such remarks against people of Telangana. "I have highest regard for the leaders and the people of Telangana", he told the reporters on Friday.