Partial Response To Telangana Bandh

The Telangana Bandh call given by the Telangana Students' Joint Action Committee (TS-JAC) on Wednesday, demanding the deletion of Clause 14 F of the Presidential Order of 1975, evoked only a partial response in the twin cities.

THe JAC had gone ahead with the bandh despite the decision of the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) to scrap the clause.

Government offices, banks and insurance firms reported thin attendance, while private offices functioned normally.

Schools and colleges had already declared a holiday for students, while businesses and traders downed their shutters. The state's Road Transport Corporation suspended bus services for a few hours, anticipating trouble.

With no violence reported from anywhere in the city, the RTC resumed its normal services in the city by mid-afternoon.

However, the RTC suspended district services in Telangana. Approximately 3,000 buses services from Hyderabad to various districts in the state were cancelled.

Earlier, the South Central Railway had confirmed that there would not be any cancellation of services, following which the MMTS services operated fully.

Hyderabad police commissioner A K Khan said that 38 companies of paramilitary forces were deployed across the city, in addition to the 10,000 city police personnel already deployed.

Khan said armed police personnel were guarding the Assembly and the Secretariat, while police pickets were put in place at all important government offices.

Security arrangements were also put in place at Habsiguda, Uppal, Vidyanagar, Amberpet, Ramanthapur, Ghatkesar and around the Osmania University.

Reacting to news of the Centre's decision on Clause 14 F, OUJAC spokesperson P Kailash said, "It is a partial victory for the people of Telangana. But we will continue our agitation till the President signs on the file relating to the deletion of Clause 14 F."

The Osmania and Kakatiya Universities have postponed their examinations, and the revised schedule will be announced soon. (INN)