T Leaders Arrested At Assembly

This time around, the Kiran Kumar Reddy government seems to be coming down hard on unwarranted political activity surrounding the Telangana issue.

Telangana Congress leaders who were on their way to the Osmania University campus to express their solidarity with the OUJAC's fast-unto-death, were stopped by the police and arrested. K Kesava Rao, Madhu Yaskhi, Manda Jagannadham and Jupally were among the politicians who were arrested.

Elsewhere, Telangana leaders from other parties, including the BJP's Bandaru Dattatreya and the TRS' Etela Rajender and K Taraka Rama Rao, were arrested right at the Assembly, for starting to proceed towards Osmania University.

Suspended TDP leader Nagam Janardhan Reddy was reportedly trying to lead the delegation to OU but was denied permission.

This brings us to the all-important question - are all these arrests being staged? It is highly unlikely that these politicians would not have known about the Section 144 being enforced in the city, or that they would be arrested if they did go ahead on their journey to OU. The arrests seem more like news-making gimmicks, and a tactic to show people who matter that they are "courting arrests" in their "support for Telangana".