The standoff between the Maharashtra government and the Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu and his team continued for the 4th day on Monday, with the TDP chief refusing to accept bail and his judicial custody being extended till July 26.
Naidu refused to accept bail offered to him for the second time since his arrest, and maintained that he would only leave after inspecting the site of the controversial Babli Irrigation Project.
A magistrate visited the Dharmabad ITI where the detained TDP boss and his team are lodged, and asked if Naidu was willing to walk free by accepting the bail.
Naidu refused the bail offer by saying that that his detention was in violation of the Constitution of India, and that he and his team were detained after being deceived by the Maharashtra police.
He said that he and his team are honourable citizens with strong self-respect and pride of being Telugu people. The TDP chief added that if they accept the bail, then it would mean compromising on their self-esteem.
The former chief minister said that he and his entire team was "ready to lay down their lives to protect the interests of the people of their state".
Naidu said that they were within their territory at the time of their arrests, and reminded the magistrate that as Indians, they were within their rights to visit any part of the country unhindered.
He also complained of the inhuman treatment meted out to them by the Maharashtra police and the administration. He said that he deplored the police behaviour towards them.
Naidu and his team are charged under Sections 135, 143 and 188 of the IPC.