Telangana Protests Continue, Peaceful

While Hyderabad has been left out for the time being, the Telangana agitation continues to simmer in the Telangana hinterland, with fasts and novel protests.

Medak district appears to be the most active, with students and teachers fasting indefinitely in Sadasivapet on one hand, and cricket matches and special Bonalu rituals happening elsewhere on the other hand to support the Telangana separate statehood cause. Lawyers in Hanumakonda of Warangal district are on fasts, and rallies were de rigeur everywhere with one by students in Khammam seeing a high turnout.

TRS leader Harish Rao said that no one can stop the creation of a separate Telangana anymore. He said that it is not possible for Andhra and Telangana to stay together any more, and that the Samaikayandhra (United Andhra) movement was an artificial creation of industrialists who have investments to protect. He criticized CM Rosaiah for being quick to act against the media in the Reliance incident of the past 2 days, but not displaying the same alacrity in the case of anti-Telangana reporting.

Meanwhile, Congress Minister Indrakaran Reddy who was fasting for separate statehood and was admitted to NIMS, was successfully persuaded by other Telangana ministers including Komatireddy Venkatreddy to give up his fast. For those who believe that not a single fast to death so far for either Telangana or United Andhra Pradesh has seen a single actual death of any leader at any level, and that they always manage to get "persuaded", this is further ammunition.