Telangana Bandh: Violence At Osmania

What started as a hunger strike has now assumed seemingly unmanageable proportions. The Telangana issue continues to cripple the state, and latest reports speak of policemen having resorted to a lathicharge on journalists at the OU campus in Hyderabad this afternoon. This was followed by mediapersons staging a dharna in front of the Assembly, the winter session of which had commenced today.

In this regard, there were reports of AP’s Home Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy resigning over the growing civilian unrest in the state.

Across AP, over the past 10 days, the Telangana agitation has witnessed 14 suicides, rallies and rasta rokos have paralyzed life, and even critical facilities have been affected, as the stopping of 850 RTC buses indicates.

In Hyderabad, though small traders within residential areas are continuing business, commerce on Hyderabad’s main roads has come to a deadening halt. Cinema halls, malls, business establishments, petrol pumps, shopping complexes and restaurants have all been shut for the past 2 days. Medical amenities and small-time eateries, thankfully, continue to operate.

Meanwhile, at the Centre, Sushma Swaraj has declared the BJP’s support to the Telangana cause.

The Congress government is expected to declare its stand on the issue by this evening, reports said.