A function organised to release Telanganalo Vishalandrodyamam – a compilation of newspaper clippings from 1950 carrying statements in support of a unified State of Andhra Pradesh emanating from the Telangana region – concluded abruptly here on Tuesday as a few mediapersons insisted that the organisers focus on the present situation.
Anticipating trouble, a large contingent of police, led by two Assistant Commissioners of Police and eight Sub-Inspectors, was deployed at the venue.
Addressing the media, C. Anjaneya Reddy of the Vishalandhra Mahasabha, publishers of the book, charged the leaders and proponents of separate State of Telangana with carrying out a misinformation campaign.
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“We have compiled this booklet in an effort to counter the falsehoods spread by the leaders of the movement to divide the State,” he said.
President of the organisation, N. Chakravarthy, and another member, Kumar Choudhary, explained their painstaking efforts to compile the clippings into a book form.
They said that they had to face stiff opposition from all fronts, including police, in their efforts to publish the booklet.
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Secretary of Mahasabha, Parkala Prabhakar, tried to explain how there was consensus among all sections of people in the region in favour of a unified state.
He said that the political leadership at all levels right from gram panchayats to Parliament had spoken in favour of a unified state and added that these statements were reported in the press and that they had only tried to put together these clippings.
At this juncture a group of mediapersons demanded that the organisation take cognisance of the fact that today the same people were in favour of bifurcation of the State.
With a section of mediapersons raising their voices, the police entered the venue and tried to cordon off the organisers. After a few minutes of pandemonium, the meeting ended.