People in Gadwal municipal limits of adjoining Mahabubnagar district observed a bandh on Friday, in pursuance of the demand for the town to be carved out as a separate district.
Till afternoon, most shops and trade establishments downed shutters in support of the demand. The bandh was organised by the struggle committee for Gadwal district headed by lawyer Anjaneyulu and a former MRO Nagaraju with the active support of the Congress whose municipal chairperson B. Padmavathi was also among the demonstrators. In fact, Congress MLA D.K. Aruna was also voicing out the demand ever since the government announced the formation of new district.
For about two hours, buses could not move out of the Gadwal depot of the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation as those belonging to the Struggle Committee staged a dharna right opposite the depot. Under the patient, watchful eye of the police, monitored by Inspector G. Suresh, they raised slogans for a while and sat before the depot’s gates before they were persuaded to move on. A motley crowd of the struggle committee went about persuading traders to shut shop and till afternoon, the organisers said the bandh was a success. The mandal headquarters town, about 180 km away from here, was in focus as Gadwal Samsthanam under the Nizam’s rule. According to The Imperial Gazetteer of India, the Gadwal Samsthanam was a part of Raichur (Karnataka) before falling under the jurisdiction of Mahabubnagar district. It is famous for handwoven cotton sarees with a silk border. Gadwal is well connected by road and rail.
Protest in pursuance of demand for town to be carved out as separate district
