Hyderabad: Osmania University once again on Thursday witnessed pitched battle between the police and pro-Telangana activists over a reported proposal by GoM to merge two districts of Rayalaseema in Andhra Pradesh with the proposed state. The bandh called by the TRS on the issue hit normal life in the region.
The police barricaded the University at the NCC Gate entrance. Activists tried to break the barricade by throwing stones. In retaliation, the police fired teargas shells.
The police prevented a march by the students from Arts College at OU and this led to heavy stone pelting.
In Nampally, lawyers locked the gates of the civil court and prevented judges from entering. The lawyers raised slogans against the Rayala-Telangana proposal.
At Rajendranagar on the outskirts of Hyderabad, Agriculture University students blocked a convoy of YSRC president Jagan Mohan Reddy who was returning from Chennai after meeting Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. The pro-Telangana activists threw rotten fruits at his convoy and tried to block his journey. The police had to use mild force to disperse the students.
Meanwhile, bus services of the state-run State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) were badly affected as TRS leaders and workers held protests near bus stations at different places in Telangana since morning. Shops and other commercial establishments did not open at various places in the region. The personnel of coal mines in the region have also stayed away from work, according to reports reaching here.
The bandh was called by TRS and other pro-Telangana organisations against reported proposal of a bigger Telangana which entails splitting Rayalaseema region and adding two of its four districts to the ten districts of proposed Telangana state. TRS had appealed to people from all walks of life to voluntarily observe the shutdown.
Rayala-Telangana envisages adding Anantapur and Kurnool districts to the proposed state of Telangana. The idea was suggested by some Congress leaders as a way to address problems like water sharing that are involved in the division of Andhra Pradesh.
Media reports said the Centre was seriously considering the proposal. The ruling Congress leaders from Telangana and opposition parties like BJP had opposed Rayala-Telangana.
Some of the Telagana Congress leaders have, however, found fault with the bandh call today saying the Rayala-Telangana proposal is only found in media reports.
The Union Cabinet is likely to discuss the report on Telangana and the draft bill to create the new state as the GoM completed its work last night and is believed to have recommended merger of two districts of Rayalseema with the proposed state. (PTI)
