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Violence broke out across Telangana
districts on Saturday even as the Telangana Rashtra Samiti called for a 48-hour
bandh to protest against the indifference of the Centre and the state
governments to the demand for a separate state and the deteriorating health
condition of the party chief, Mr K. Chandrasekhar Rao.
The TRS, which intends to enforce the bandh from Saturday midnight to Monday
midnight, has also asked the government to move a resolution in the Assembly to
form a separate state.
Angry mobs damaged about 40 buses, a bulk of them in Hyderabad, attacked
shopping malls and shops in twin cities, particularly in Ameerpet and Punjagutta
areas, following rumours of Mr Chandrasekhar Rao slipping into coma at the
Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (Nims). However, hospital authorities
denied that his condition had worsened.
TRS activists also went round the city and forced shopkeepers to down their
shutters. At Gun Park opposite the Assembly, the Telangana Journalists Forum
staged a relay hunger strike.
Mr Chandrasekhar Rao, who has become weaker, refused to give up his fast despite
fervent appeals by TRS leaders, students, Praja Rajyam chief Chiranjeevi,
leaders from other political parties, employees’ organisations, and others.
“I will not give up the fast till government gives an assurance on Telangana,”
he told this correspondent in a feeble voice in the morning.
Mr Chandrasekhar Rao also dismissed appeals from family members including son,
Mr K.T. Rama Rao, daughter, Ms Kavita, Mr T. Harish Rao and party floor leader,
Mr Etala Rajender and others.
Mr Harish Rao broke down on seeing the condition of Mr Chandrasekhar Rao. “I
appealed to our party leader to give up the fast,” said Mr Rajender. “I told him
that we should fight by staying alive and not by giving up one’s life for an
unscrupulous and inhuman government.”
Mr Rajender asked all the TRS politburo members to be available at the Telangana
Bhavan for immediate consultations in view of deteriorating health of the party
president.
Meanwhile, some unidentified youth attacked Hyderabad Central, Big Bazaar and
Cherma’s shattering window panes and creating a commotion.
They ran away before the police arrived. As the situation in the city turned
tense, people left offices early.
There were large queues in front of petrol bunks because of the bandh. The Nims
director, Dr Prasada Rao, said that the chaos at the hospital premises was
frightening regular patients.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister, Mr K. Rosaiah, reviewed the law and order
situation in Hyderabad and other Telangana districts and held discussions with
the director-general of police, Mr R.R. Girish Kumar.
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