Reminiscent of T agitation, TRS leaders lend support to farmers

Hyderabad: For the first time after the T agitation, the TRS leadership was seen on roads in large numbers asking shops to down shutters as a mark of solidarity with farmers who are demanding repeal of three farm laws passed by Parliament recently.

By and large, the bandh passed of peacefully. At most of the places shops and business establishments downed shutters, TSRTC buses remained confined to depots. Ministers and TRS leaders staged rasta rokos on National Highways across the State.

At some places, the cadre were seen arguing with the shop owners as some of them wanted to know a valid reason to pull down the shutters.

The bandh evoked mixed response in the capital city and in the districts, people stayed indoors till afternoon.

The TRS leaders conducted bike rallies in the cities and towns and tractor rallies on National Highways bringing the entire vehicular traffic to a grinding halt for two to three hours. The AIMIM's silence over the issue left the Old City and Muslim dominated areas mostly unaffected. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi backed the farmers' protest through his statements on social media and expressing solidarity.

TSRTC, cabs and autos went off the road till afternoon. Small business establishments remain opened all through the day and big malls were closed up to 12 noon.

Serlingamaplly MLA A Gandhi faced bitter experience at Kukatpally. When TRS cadre obstructed the traffic movement, some of them questioned the MLA for obstructing the traffic during office hours. An irate MLA was seen pushing the person arguing with him and that video went viral on social media.

Altercation between the commuters and TRS leaders were reported from many junctions where the party staged dharnas in city and some districts. Quick police intervention saved the situation from taking ugly turn. In Musheerabad area in the city, TRS activists attacked a shop-keeper for not pulling his shutter down.

In Akbarbagh under Malakpet, a shop-keeper said he would pull down the shutter if the activists can explain why he should do so. When they said that it was to express sympathy with the farmers, he shot back saying what happened to the farmers? He questioned why the state government was not buying fine rice though it had promised to buy from the farmers. This led to some altercation. Some places, there were allegations of attack on shops which refused to close and it was alleged that cash box was taken away.

TRS working president KT Rama Rao staged sit in on Hyderabad – Bengaluru NH demanding that the Centre annul the new farm laws. KTR alleged that the Centre was obstructing the Telangana government from providing MSP to Sanna Biyyam (fine rice) cultivated by farmers during kharif season. The Union Government threatened it would not buy levy rice if the State extended MSP, he said.

He remarked that once again after long time, they were forced to come on to roads thanks to the Centre.

Ministers -- E Dayakar Rao and Satyavathi Rathod along with other leaders courted arrest in Warangal. Tractor rallies were taken out by Energy Minster G Jagdish Reddy on Hyderabad – Vijayawada NH-65 and Finance Minister T Harish Rao staged protest at Y Junction on Medak– Hyderabad highway. MLC K Kavitha took part in the dharna in Nizamabad district.