All claim success

TRS bandh today; Others to protest; TJAC supports both

Hyderabad: Rallies, protests and large scale arrests across the T region marked the Chalo Assembly programme in Hyderabad. The areas in and around the Assembly looked like war zones with police sealing all routes within a radius of 2 km from the Assembly to foil the attempts of TJAC and TRS and other political parties which had given the Chalo Assembly call. Osmania University was on the boil throughout the day and three students suffered injuries as tear gas shells hit them. Top leaders of JAC, TRS, BJP and MLAs were arrested at various places for defying prohibitory orders.

Two Telangana MLAs in a daring act climbed on to the top of TRS Legislature Party office building sending the Assembly staff and police into a tizzy. Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and Speaker N Manohar reached Assembly around 6 am keeping in view the barricading of the roads. While the Chief Minister managed to leave the Assembly without facing the T heat, the Speaker's convoy was obstructed and he had to be escorted from Osmania Gate. JAC chairman M. Kodandaram, Vice chairman M Lakshmaiah, Srinivas Goud and others were arrested at Ashok Nagar cross roads when they tried to march towards Indira Park. The policemen bodily lifted the leaders and bundled them into waiting vehicles.

Tension prevailed at Indira Park as protestors stoned the policemen deployed in large numbers to prevent any gathering. Police retaliated with tear gas. TRS politburo member Shravan fell unconscious on the road when police were forcibly shifting him. He was taken to a hospital.

Kodandaram told reporters before the arrest: "The government through its repressive measures has achieved nothing but we have succeeded voicing our dissent. We will continue the movement till we achieve our goal." The TDP Telangana MLAs continued their dharna in front of the Speaker's podium even after the Assembly was adjourned. The Assembly officials had shut down power supply and later they were evicted from the House and were arrested near the Assembly gate.

BJP leader Vidyasagar Rao sustained minor injury in a police baton charge near Indira Park. Police arrested him and party activists when they took out a rally. BJP state president G. Kishen Reddy, senior leaders Bandaru Dattatreya, Indrasena Reddy and G. Lakshman were arrested near RTC Cross Roads. TRS MPs G. Vivek and Manda Jagannatham and other party leaders were arrested at Nizam Club near the Assembly. Another TRS MP, Vijayshanti, and her supporters were also arrested. TRS chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao's daughter Kavitha was taken into custody at Indira Park. Also arrested were CPI state secretary K. Narayana and his supporters when they tried to proceed towards the assembly.

Converting the city into an unprecedented fortress and imposing traffic restrictions caused great hardship to the general public. The commuters were hit hard. Even officer on special duty to a minister was not allowed to go towards secretariat and it took over 45 minutes for him to cross the hurdles created by the police. In some cases police in their over-enthusiasm did not even allow relatives of patients to go towards hospitals. In the evening, OU JAC members tried to stage a dharna in front of CM's camp office but were arrested by police.

However, there was no impact on life in other parts of the city, particularly in the IT district of Cyberabad, the hub of national and multinational software giants. Police entered the office of the Communist Party of India (CPI) and arrested 30 party activists. Two party leaders were injured when they were hit by a lathi. Schools and colleges in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad remained closed. Almost all Multi Modal Transport System (MMTS) or suburban trains were cancelled while some trains coming to Hyderabad from other parts of Telangana were cancelled or terminated on the city outskirts.

The Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and Union Health Minister and Andhra Pradesh in-charge Ghulam Nabi Azad are said to have congratulated Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy for maintenance of law and order in a smooth and peaceful manner and showing utmost restraint in handling the situation even in the circumstances under which some parties were planning to create trouble. The Chief Secretary thanked the centre for extending all help and sending more forces to handle the situation.

KCR monitors from farm house

Hyderabad: TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao was conspicuous by his absence from the Chalo Assembly protest held on Friday. He was camping in his farmhouse located near Gajwel on city outskirts for the last four days. After monitoring the developments related to Chalo Assembly programme till the evening, he gave a call for observing a total shutdown in the region on Saturday.