The Lok Satta Party on Wednesday demanded Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy to ensure that those guilty of attacking its national president Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan at Andhra Pradesh Bhavan in New Delhi on February 11, 2014, are arrested and punished.
Taking part in a party dharna at Dharna Chowk near Indira Park today to protest against the attack on Dr. JP, state Lok Satta party president Katari Srinivasa Rao also demanded that stringent action be taken against police personnel who indulged in violence and abusive language against the Lok Satta workers who were observing a peaceful protest at the Ambedkar statue near Liberty on the night of February 11, 2014.
Srinivasa Rao pointed out that the Lok Satta party has never indulged in double-speak and has, all along, maintained that the state can neither be kept united nor should it be separated forcibly.
"Dr. JP had displayed the initiative of unveiling a comprehensive and amicable solution that takes care of the interests of all the regions in the state. Instead of appreciating him, some Telangana protagonists have instead chosen to indulge in physical assault on Dr. JP", he said.
Earlier in the week, the Lok Satta party had heavily
condemned the attack on their president.
Expressing solidarity with the Lok Satta Party, N Tulasi Reddy of the Congress said attempts to extinguish freedom of speech would lead to untoward consequences. Linga Reddy of the TDP described the attack on Dr. JP as undemocratic. Venkata Reddy of the MCPI (U) expressed his support for the Lok Satta cause.
Among those who took part in the sit-in were Lok Satta's state vice-president Allu Ramesh Reddy, secretary Nandipet Ravinder, Mahila Satta, Yuva Satta State Presidents N Saroja Devi, P Shivaji Raju, GHMC unit president Dosapati Ramu, vice- presidents G Srinivas, P Bhavani, party leaders K Gangadhara Rao, Hyma Praveen, B Sambi Reddy, N Nagendra Babu and Rohit Kumar.
Earlier in the day, Katari Srinivasa Rao and other Lok Satta Party leaders had met the DGP, B. Prasada Rao, and had sought the suspension of Saifabad Circle Inspector Umender who had indulged in the physical and verbal violence against party workers, including women and media personnel.
Srinivasa Rao told the DGP that when party workers were peacefully protesting against the attack on Dr. JP on the night of February 11, the Saifabad police had pounced on them without any provocation and had indulged in physical and verbal violence on the protesters. The party's GHMC unit president, Dosapati Ramu, sustained injuries in the police action. (INN)