Congress leaders led by Rajya Sabha member V. Hanumantha Rao and former Minister Danam Nagender on Friday staged a protest against the Centre’s decision to name the domestic terminal of Rajiv Gandhi International Airport after former Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao.
A large number of Congress cadres managed to reach the airport despite heavy police protection. Mr. Hanumantha Rao and Mr. Nagender too reached the main building of the airport by taking alternative route. The police had put up check points to the airport leading from the Shamshabad and Pahadisharrief side.
Mr. Hanumantha Rao and Mr. Nagender were bundled into a police van and taken to Pahadisharrief police station, where they were detained for some time. Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president Ponnala Lakshmaiah, leader of Opposition in Assembly K. Jana Reddy and Congress MLAs – T. Jeevan Reddy, Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and others visited the police station.
The arrested leaders were later released. Mr. Hanumantha Rao said he would take up the issue in the Parliament and decried Centre’s decision.
“If the Centre wants to please the TDP leaders, let it name the four airports in Andhra Pradesh – Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Tirupati and Rajahmundry after N.T.Rama Rao,” he said.