Telangana issue leads to law and order problems

Hyderabad: Normal life was affected in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema region for the fifth consecutive day in protest against the formation of a separate state of Telangana.

While more leaders belonging to various parties started their indefinite fast in support of a united Andhra Pradesh, Srikrishna Devaraya University in Anantapur was rocked by violence and police used a baton charge against the protesters. It left many students and policemen injured.

Ironically it was the 56th death anniversary of Potti Sriramulu, who had died after fasting for 58 days while demanding for the creation of Andhra Pradesh from Madras state in 1952.

On this occasion, the Chief Minister K. Rosaiah and many other legislators and leaders hailing from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema garlanded Sriramulu's statue and paid their tributes to his sacrifice for "one state for all Telugus".

Stray incidents of violence were reported from many places in the two regions as protesters stopped trains at several places. Buses also remained off the road.

The brewing tension on the university campus in Anantapur burst into violence yesterday morning when the police tried to stop students who were trying to go on a fast unto death. The students retaliated by pelting the police with stones, injuring police and media personnel. The police made a baton charge and also pelted stones on the students to disperse them. There were also allegations that the policemen ransacked the university canteen.

In view of the worsening situation, the authorities have declared holiday in SK University till December 27. Police said 12 people including leaders of a joint action committee were arrested.

The incident evoked angry reaction from all political parties. The state's Agriculture Minister N Raghuveera Reddy, who belongs to Anantapur, met the Home Minister Sabita Indra Reddy and asked her to stop "over action" by the police. Telugu Desam Party legislators and others, too, held a demonstration in front of the chief minister's chamber. They were demanding action against the guilty police officials. Later they were allowed to meet Rosaiah and demanded that the police should be withdrawn from the university. But another senior Congress leader and legislator from Anantapur J.C. Diwakar Reddy admitted that radical elements had infiltrated the student's agitation.

The high drama, involving Congress MP from Vijaywada Lagadapati Rajagopal, which started late Monday night continued with his arrest for a second time, after he tried to go on a fast in Hyderabad, and was forced to return to his home town Vijaywada yesterday morning.

Earlier tension prevailed in the old city of Hyderabad where Rajagopal was lodged at Falaknuma station for some time. On hearing about his presence there, a large number of Bharatiya Janata Party and Telangana Rashtriya Samiti gathered there and shouted slogans in favour of Telangana and against Rajagopal. Police resorted to baton charge to disperse the mob.

Soon after reaching Vijaywada, Rajagopal resumed his fast at Swaraj Maidan along with a large number of his supporters. Schools, business establishments and shops remain closed in support of Rajagopal. Meanwhile, the fast unto death by two TDP legislators, Umamaheshwara Rao and Ch Ramakotaiah in another part of Vijaywada entered third day yesterday.

March across state

Rajagopal said he will undertake a march through all the 23 districts starting from Itchapuram in Srikakualm to create awareness among the people about the need for a united Andhra Pradesh. He said the present situation arose because of the absence of strong leaders such as N.T. Rama Rao and Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy. "We are all feeling their absence now," he said.

In Hyderabad, Congress member of legislative council and Rajasekhara Reddy's brother Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy tried to start his fast unto death in front of the state secretariat but he was evicted from there and taken to Goshamahal stadium. Later he was sent to his home town Kadapa.