Public CompanyTension grips Telangana
Tension gripped the Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh raising fears of violence as the ongoing agitation for a separate statehood to the area intensified on Tuesday with the worsening health condition of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi president, K Chandrasekhara Rao.
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The police said that Section 144 would be imposed from Wednesday in the entire Telangana region comprising 10 districts, including the state capital, as a precautionary measure.
The medical team monitoring the health status of Rao, whose fast-unto-death at the Nizam Institute of Medical Sciences (Nims) here entered the tenth day, stated that he was showing "signs of protein malnutrition in the form of decreased protein in the blood and is becoming weaker".
Stating that Rao was not cooperating for timely and planned treatment, the doctors warned, “now is the time he should break his fast immediately to improve his health and strength”. Otherwise, they feared that his condition may worsen suddenly.
Following this, TRS held an emergency polit bureau meeting and unanimously passed a resolution urging Rao to break his fast. However, Rao has rejected the party’s appeal.
Earlier in the day, TRS legislators stalled proceedings in the state Assembly, pressing for introduction of a resolution favouring formation of separate Telangana state. The House was adjourned for the day without transacting any business.
Meanwhile, supporters of the separate statehood cause held demonstrations across the region. The student unions in all universities across Telangana have joined the stir. Even university professors and other professionals like lawyers, doctors and engineers plunged into the agitation.
With the students planning to converge on the state capital on Thursday and march towards the Assembly in support of the statehood demand, the government has requisitioned 15 companies of central paramilitary forces to ensure there is no law and order problem.
With crisis deepening, chief minister, K Rosaiah, is leaving for Delhi on Wednesday for discussions with the party president Sonia Gandhi and also to greet her on the birthday. The state Congress president, D Srinivas, is already in the national capital to seek an early decision from the party high command on the issue.
A section of pro-Telangana leaders within the ruling party have stepped up pressure on the central leadership for a favourable decision on the statehood demand.
With the agitators resorting to gheraoing of people"s representatives, the MPs and MLAs hailing from the Telangana region are having a harrowing time. “We are unable to visit our constituencies,” a Congress legislator said.