TRS, TJAC object permission to APNGOs meeting on Sept 7

Hyderabad: The TRS and TJAC have taken strong objection to the permission granted by the government to the APNGOs ‘Save Andhra Pradesh’ meeting on September 7 at L B Stadium while denying the same for taking out their own ‘Peace Rally’ on the same day. The TRS and TJAC leaders met the Minister for Panchayat Raj K Jana Reddy and lodged their strong protest with him.

Later talking to media Jana Reddy felt that the government should not have given permission to anyone to hold public meetings or to take out rallies since the atmosphere was not conducive for such programmes at the moment. He said it was unfortunate that Seemandhra region was embroiled by the continued agitation against the formation of Telangana.

The minister alleged that the opposition parties were adopting double standards on the issue of bifurcation and were instigating people for their political gains in the next general election.

Answering a question as to who would be responsible if any untoward incident took place on September 7, he said that the state government should not be held responsible for it.

Contd on Page 4

He said he would appeal to both the employees of Seemandhra and Telangana region to maintain restraint and peace and not to give any scope for violence. He also appealed to the Telangana NGO leaders not to insist that the government give permission to them on the same day. They can organise their rally a day later, he suggested.

When asked to comment on the issues being raised by the Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy in case the state was bifurcated he said they were all apprehensions and the CM should convene a cabinet meeting to discuss them and also to review the situation in the Seemandhra region.

Referring to his meeting with T-JAC convener Kodandaram and TJAC employees’ leaders Srinvas Goud and Devi Prasad, Jana said that they asked him to persuade the Government to give permission to organize peace rally on September 7. He said he informed them that he would take the issue to the notice of State Government. He appealed to the TJAC leaders not to insist on the meeting to be organized on the same day.

In the meantime, the TRS leader K Keshav Rao charged the Chief Minister of being the brain behind the APNGOs meeting. Speaking to media at TRS Bhavan, he said that this meeting could provoke the people of Telangana and lead to unforeseen situations. He also found fault with the Government for not permitting the peace rally. He alleged that Kiran was behaving in a partisan manner. The CPI state secretary Dr K Narayana asked APNGOs not to misuse the opportunity they got for the September 7 meeting. Speaking to media at Maqdoom Bhavan, he asked the police to examine the possibility of giving permission for peace rally also. APNGOs and TNGOs should restrict these meetings to highlight their view points and should not indulge in accusations and counter accusations, he cautioned.