Police detained YSRC honorary president Y.S. Vijayamma here on Thursday to prevent her from entering Nalgonda district where she was scheduled to visit rain-hit areas and interact with farmers.
It may be recalled that Minister for Panchayat Raj K. Jana Reddy and other Congress leaders of Nalgonda district had openly given a call to their party cadre to oppose her visit.
As soon as Ms. Vijayamma’s convoy reached this border village, the Kodad rural police of Nalgonda district stopped it, citing prohibitory orders in force under their jurisdiction.
Angered at being prevented from visiting Nalgonda district after the completion of her Khammam district tour, Ms. Vijayamma squatted on the main road.
Tension flared up in the village as the YSRC cadres staged a demonstration denouncing the action of the police.
Pro-Telangana activists also staged a counter demonstration on the other side of the bridge at Shantinagar in Nalgonda district.
Hundreds of vehicles were stranded on either sides of the bridge for nearly half an hour.
The Kodad rural police detained Ms. Vijayamma and shifted her to Nelakondapalli police station from where she was sent back to Hyderabad.
Talking to media persons at Nelakondapalli, Ms. Vijayamma termed the action of police as undemocratic.
Referring to the observations of Mr. Jana Reddy, she said, “How can some elements dictate terms to the elected representatives and bar them from visiting misery-stricken farmers to console them?”
“Do we require visas to visit a district in our State and whether it is in Pakistan or Bangladesh,” she shot back. The Chief Minister owes an explanation in this regard, she said.
Ms. Vijayamma reiterated that all the three regions of the State could progress only if the State remained united. “My spiritual wisdom says that Andhra Pradesh will remain united,” she said in reply to a query. Earlier, Ms. Vijayamma visited the rain ravaged agricultural fields in Konijerla, Nelakondapalli and Mudigonda mandals amidst tight security arrangements.
Pro-Telangana activists hurled eggs at her convoy at Konijerla and one of the activists tried to set himself ablaze in protest against her visit.
