Telangana Drivers On Strike

Finance Minister Anam Ramnarayana Reddy fell victim to Telangana agitators' protests for a while on Tuesday, when his vehicle reached the state Secretariat.

The minister's vehicle was blocked and the Telangana staff asked the driver to get out of the car, but the driver did not oblige, and sped away with the car.

The protestors did not allow other officials' cars to proceed to their respective destinations, and kept stopping them as the vehicles entered the main gate.

Drivers of official government vehicles were part of the Sakala Janula Samme (which entered its 15th day on Tuesday), and kept off from their duties on Tuesday.

When their vehicles entered the Secretariat from the In Gate, the Telangana activists blocked them and motivated the drivers to leave the 4-wheelers on the spot.

Following their directions the drivers left the official vehicles, leaving the officers in their cars. Some of the officers drove the cars to their respective blocks, while others walked the distance to reach their offices.

Later, the on-strike staff took out a rally and staged a sit-in dharna near the main entrance, raising slogans in support of Telangana. They also demonstrated in front of the Chief Minister's office at C-Block.

At Vanasthalipuram, Telangana agitators attacked buses that were bound for Secretariat. Enraged by the special arrangements made for picking up employees of the Secretariat, the agitators stopped the buses, and broke their wind-shields. (INN)