Leaders of different political parties on Thursday expressed concern over the violence and attacks on private properties in the current pro-Telangana agitation and demanded that the government ensure full security to the life and property of the people of other regions in Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana.
They also sought to contrast the outbreak of violence in Telangana with the peaceful pro-Samaikyandhra stir that had no instance of burning of buses and targeting of private property.
At a meeting to felicitate leaders of the Joint Action Committee organised by its honorary president and MLC Chigurupati Varaprasad, all the speakers treaded a cautious path without criticising the violence in Telangana. They restricted themselves to making an appeal to the government to safeguard lives and properties of protagonists of unified AP and resolving to remain committed to ‘Samaikyandhra’.
JAC president Mandali Buddha Prasad, former Minister Devineni Rajasekhar, MLAs Malladi Vishnu, Tangirala Prabhakar Rao, Dasari Balavardhana Rao and JAC convener Kolanukonda Sivaji were among those who expressed these views.
MP Lagadapati Rajagopal, who became well known for his war of words with Telangana leaders, cancelled his visit to the city and the scheduled press conference at the last minute reportedly to avoid further confrontation with Telangana leaders in the wake of fresh bout of violence there.
Animal Husbandry Minister K. Parthasarathy, at a press conference, preferred to make extremely cautious statements to a barrage of questions over the continuing attacks on the property of people belonging to coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema. He appealed to the people not to get instigated and wanted the officials to remain on alert.
TDP spokesperson Varla Ramaiah took objection to the lack of sufficient action on the part of the government to assure the people at a time when they were living in fear and losing confidence in the administration following large scale violence in the State Capital and surrounding areas. He held Chief Minister K. Rosaiah and Home Minister P. Sabita Indra Reddy responsible for the present chaos in the State. Mr. Ramaiah criticised Information and Public Relations Minister J. Geeta Reddy for what he described as her lack of understanding when she blamed TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu for the present crisis over Telangana. He solely held the December 9 statement of the Centre responsible for the turmoil.
