Pro-Telangana students protest in Hyderabad, many arrested

HYDERABAD - A day ahead of Andhra Pradesh formation day, pro-Telangana students Sunday sought to lay siege to the residences of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K. Rosaiah and his ministers demanding the day not be celebrated in the region. Many were arrested.

The leaders and members of Osmania University’s Joint Action Committee (JAC) tried to march towards the chief minister’s residence but were stopped by the police.

Raising slogans like ‘CM down down’ and ‘Jai Telangana’, the protesters tried to remove the police barricades. Police pushed back dozens of students and arrested them.

Another group of students tried to lay siege to Ministers’ Quarters in Banjara Hills area. They clashed with the police and tried to advance towards the ministers’ residences, demanding that they stay away from formation day celebrations.

Tension prevailed in the areas as police had a tough time in controlling the protesters.

The JAC, along with several pro-Telangana groups, is demanding that no official celebrations be organised in Telangana as it would hurt the sentiments of the people of the region at a time when they are close to achieving the goal of separate Telangana state.

Various groups have called for observing Nov 1 as ‘betrayal day’ or ‘black day’. They have also taken strong exception to the announcement by ministers from Telangana that they would participate in the celebrations.

Information Technology Minister K. Venkat Reddy said he would not be cowed down by threats by some groups over his participation in formation day celebrations.

The minister, who hails from Telangana, however said he would be the first to resign if separate Telangana state was not formed after Dec 31.

The Srikrishna committee, which is looking into the Telangana issue, will submit its report to the central government by Dec 31.

On Nov 1, 1956, Telangana, part of the erstwhile princely state of Hyderabad, was merged with Andhra state to form a state for Telugu-speaking people with Hyderabad as its capital.

Alleging injustice to Telangana by successive rulers from Andhra, Telangana groups have been demanding separate statehood for the region for the last four decades. Telangana comprises 10 districts, including Hyderabad.