Who should plant the sapling first? An argument over this between LB Nagar legislator D. Sudheer Reddy and the Hyderabad Market Committee chairman Ram Mohan Goud led to a clash between followers of both the leaders on Saturday afternoon.
Traffic jam
Police had to intervene to disperse the irate followers from both groups not before one of the groups squatted on the road near LB Nagar leading to a traffic jam. The plantation programme named ‘Vana Deeksha’ was organised by the Hyderabad Metro Rail.
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Tempers ran high soon after the legislator, Mr. Sudheer Reddy planted a sapling and the Market Committee chairman took objection to this and argued that he should have planted the sapling.
Actually, Municipal Administration Minister M. Mahidhar Reddy was to start the programme by planting a sapling. As he did not turn up, Malkajgiri MP Sarve Satyanarayana began the programme and Mr. Sudheer Reddy planted the second sapling, which was objected by Mr. Goud.
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The MP tried to placate the leaders and took them to the dais. But trouble broke out as supporters of both Mr. Reddy and Mr. Goud began arguing and jostling with each other. As slogan shouting supporters of both the camps rushed to the dais, police moved in and prevented them from advancing.
As jostling continued, a few supporters of Mr. Goud staged a sit-in on the road at LB Nagar objecting to what they termed as “high-handed” behaviour of police.
Mr. Reddy’s supporters too rushed there and they began hurling stones and slippers at one another. With both the groups refusing to budge, Mr. Satyanarayana left the place.
Later police and the leaders pacified their supporters and went away.
Earlier, the Hyderabad Metro Rail Managing Director, N. V. S. Reddy, said if one tree was cut for the metro rail works, ten saplings were being planted.