TRS legislators again stall assembly

HYDERABAD - Hours after they were forcibly lifted by the police, the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) legislators Saturday returned to the legislative assembly to stall the proceedings to demand withdrawal of cases against students, who participated in the movement for separate state of Telangana.

Deputy speaker N. Manohar had to adjourn the house as 11 TRS members trooped towards the speaker’s podium, demanding the government to immediately make a statement on withdrawal of cases.

The issue had rocked the assembly Friday, the first day of the winter session. The house could not transact any business as TRS wanted a categorical statement while Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy said the government could withdraw the cases only after taking legal opinion.

Main opposition Telugu Desam Party and other opposition parties have also supported the TRS demand. Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM), however, wanted the government to withdraw the cases booked against Muslim students during communal riots and in connection with the blast at historic Mecca Masjid.

TRS legislators remained seated in the house Friday after the deputy speaker adjourned the house for the day. In an unprecedented move, police entered the assembly late Friday to bodily lift them out.

They, however, rushed to Home Minister Sabita Indra Reddy’s house and began a sit-in there. They squatted in front of her house and had their meals on the road well past midnight. TRS workers also tried to reach there but were prevented by the police.

The legislators were arrested by the police and shifted to a police station. They were released early Saturday.