In Andhra Pradesh, a day-long bandh is being observed across Telangana region in protest against Rayal Telangana proposal. The normal life has come under the impact of the bandh with public transport buses remaining off the roads. Extending support to the bandh, almost 60,000 workers of the public road transport corporation – the APSRTC, stayed away from duties in all Telangana districts. Raising slogans against Rayal Telangana proposal, the agitators squatted before bus depots and prevented buses to come out in the morning. Coal production in Singareni collieries is affected in Karimnagar, Warangal and Khammam districts with workers boycotting duties in support of the bandh. Private educational institutions remained closed at several places and all scheduled examinations were postponed.
The bandh call was given by the
Telangana Raashtra Samithi and Telangana political Joint Action Committee and all political parties including the ruling congress extended support to it. Police beefed up security across the state due to bandh in Telangana region and also in view of Telangana Bill reportedly coming up before union cabinet which is scheduled to meet in the evening.
The Rayal Telangana proposal provides for inclusion of Ananthapur and Kurnool districts from Rayalaseema region in the proposed Telangana state.
Our correspondent reports that the day-long bandh is underway across Telangana region in full steam with normal life coming to a standstill. The bandh is almost total in all Telangana districts. Schools, shops and petrol bunks remained closed and RTC buses remained off the roads. In Hyderabad, situation became tense on Osmania University campus with students trying to take out a rally in protest against Rayala Telangana. Police used tear gas when the agitating students pelted stones on them. Additional forces are deployed on the campus in view of the tense situation. Boycotting duties in support of the bandh, Telangana advocates staged dharnas before courts at several places. TRS leader Harish Rao was arrested at Siddhipet in Medak district when he led a dharna before a bus depot. Some TRS and BJP leaders were arrested in Mahaboobnagar district when they tried to obstruct MIM leader Akbrauddin Owaisi who is a supporter of Royala Telangana.
