Osmania University, the nerve centre of the Telangana agitation, reverberated with ‘Jai Telangana’ slogans as hundreds of students gathered at the Arts College to welcome the Union Cabinet’s decision on Telangana.
Students burst crackers and distributed sweets even as they hugged each other to share their joy. They termed the decision as a victory of the students’ unrelenting agitations even as the political parties dilly-dallied their decision. They also paid tributes to hundreds of students who committed suicide seeking the formation of Telangana.
‘Real victory after Bill’
However, students were also cautious and said the real victory would be when the Bill would be passed in Parliament.
“The real celebrations will be the day when the Bill is passed and the State is formed officially,” said Punna Kailash Netha, TSJAC president.
OUJAC spokesperson M. Krishank said though they welcomed the Union Cabinet’s decision they were unhappy with the restrictions on Hyderabad.
“We will continue our agitation till the restrictions are removed,” he said.
3 policemen injured in stone-pelting
Earlier during the day, three policemen sustained injuries when pro-Telangana students clashed with them and indulged in heavy stone pelting at Osmania University campus when their march was stopped near Andhra Mahila Sabha college arch on Thursday.
Teargas used
Police had to use teargas shells to control the agitating students who were angry as their rally from Arts College was intercepted at the AMS arch and not allowed to go further.
Scores of students belonging to different organisations such as Telangana Vidyarthi Parishad, Telangana Students Vibhag, Progressive Democratic Students Union, Tribal Students Wing and Bahujan Samaj Vidyarthi Vibhag assembled at the Arts College in the morning.
They started in a procession and headed towards AMS arch raising slogans.
Police were deployed in large numbers at the arch. The barbed wire fencing and steel barricades were already put up on the road blocking traffic. Student leaders entered into an argument with the police for not permitting them to go ahead.
As the police tried to disperse them using mild force, some of them ran backwards and started hurling stones at the police. The battle continued for several minutes when the policemen lobbed teargas shells. The unrelenting students retreated for some distance but started raining stones again. This continued for nearly three hours but the police eventually brought the situation under control.
