Providing security at AP Chief Minister’s residence and those of his Cabinet colleagues at the Ministers’ Quarters in the joint capital of Hyderabad is emerging as the new issue between the Governments of AP and Telangana States.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary I Y R Krishna Rao and DGP, J V Ramudu called on Governor E S L Narasimhan and reportedly briefed him on AP Government’s decision to deploy its own police personnel for protection of ministers and other functionaries in Hyderabad.
According to official sources, the two top officials told Mr. Narasimhan that the Telangana policemen deployed to protect AP Government functionaries were acting like “informants”. Since the Governor was not vested with powers to protect law and order, the AP police would take the responsibility for providing security to its ministers, important functionaries and ruling party leaders.
Official sources said that the meeting was a follow-up to Telangana DGP Anurag Sharma and City Police Commissioner Mahender Reddy interacting with the Governor.
The two top Telangana officials reportedly informed him that Telangana police would not take security responsibility for AP ministers and other top functionaries if the AP police was deployed.
The sources asserted that AP Government was not “subordinate” to the Telangana Government and had every right to deploy its own police personnel for security and protection in the common capital.
Already, the AP police had deployed its personnel at Mr. Naidu’s residence in Jubilee Hills even as Telangana police teams continued to guard the premises. While no AP police teams were deployed yet at the AP Ministers’ Quarters, a platoon of A.P. Special Police was deployed at NTR Trust Building -Telugu Desam party office headquarters.
“We don’t provide special security for NTR Trust building but as per protocols and security needs, our police teams are deployed whenever Mr. Naidu visits the party office,” Hyderabad police officials said. They maintained that security of AP CM and his cabinet colleagues in Hyderabad would be responsibility of Telangana police.
Until further orders clarifying this position, Telangana police would continue to protect AP CM’s residence and other premises belonging to AP, they added.
Visitors were not allowed inside the NTR Trust Bhavan even as anxious party cadre as well as sympathisers thronged the venue after the some channels aired the news that the stage was being set for serving notices on Mr. Naidu and some other leaders. Meanwhile, Mr. Naidu’s son Nara Lokesh, who visited the party office late in the afternoon, interacted with party workers and tried to instil confidence among them by asserting that the Telangana Government would not be able to do anything to the party president. Mr. Lokesh averred that Mr. Naidu did nothing wrong and there was no cause of concern among the party workers.
“The TDP president is a national level politician unlike TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao who is confined to a small region,” he said.
