Assembly made into a fortress

• Govt says no to Chalo Assembly
• Public meeting on city outskirts if the TJAC asks for it
• Ravindra Bharati not to hold any function till June 15

Hyderabad: With the T-JAC deciding to go ahead with the proposed Chalo Assembly programme on Friday seeking a separate Telangana state irrespective of the State government's decision not to accord permission to it, the areas in and around the State Assembly have been heavily fortified by the police.

The pace of providing tightest possible security to prevent anyone from reaching anywhere near the Assembly had begun since morning as the in-charge Minister for home J Geeta Reddy after a meeting with Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy on Wednesday morning announced that the government cannot give permission for such a programme as it had inputs that the Chalo Assembly could turn violent. She said the government could consider giving permission for holding a public meeting on the city outskirts if the TJAC asks for it. The Chalo Assembly call was given by TJAC and is supported by various political parties. Prohibitory orders have already been imposed in a radius of 2 km of the Assembly building. The vehicles of MLAs will be allowed inside only after a thorough scrutiny and checking of the passes. The Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anurag Sharma said, "No one has approached us for permission. We would like to make it clear that till now we have not given permission to any such demonstration in future." Warning of initiating stern action against those breaking law, he said, "Definitely we are not going to give any permission and because of the prohibitory orders in force any such demonstration will be illegal and I request the public through media not to participate in this kind of demonstration. Stern action will be taken against all those who participate in the programme and they will be booked under specific cases." The police boss reviewed the security arrangements with the Speaker. On the other hand, the Osmania University campus was on the boil as pro- Telangana students on Wednesday pelted policemen with stones when they were prevented from taking out a bike rally. The police fired tear gas shells. Earlier, a group of pro-T students affiliated to Vidyarthi Parishad claimed that they had obtained the permission from the ministers to take out a rally. When the police contested their claim, they raised slogans against them.The police have sent an advisory to all function halls including Ravindra Bharati not to hold any function till June 15. Hotels have been asked to thoroughly scrutinize the guests who book the rooms. Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Rapid Action Force (RAF) troops will be in place on June 14 to prevent pro-Telangana activists from reaching the State Assembly. The Superintendent of police South Central Railway Kanta Rao said that if any one tries to damage the railway property or indulge in any agitation on the railway tracks, cases would be booked against them. However, undeterred by turning the city into a fortress, JAC chairman M. Kodandaram said that they will go ahead with the 'Chalo Assembly' programme. He said the call was given under "inevitable" circumstances due to delay in formation of Telangana state and the "deceiving" nature of Congress and other parties opposed to the demand. People have lost confidence in the Congress and its delaying tactics on such a crucial issue has stalled the State's development, felt the State BJP president G. Kishen Reddy and former Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya. Meanwhile, Telangana Telugu Desam Forum announced that it would extend support to 'Chalo Assembly' programme. Though they will not directly participate in the Chalo Assembly, they will hold dharnas in districts and mandal headquarters.