Amid threats of protests by the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) and pro-Telangana activists, YSR Congress Party honorary president Y.S. Vijayamma is all set to undertake ‘Chenetha dharna’ in the textile town of Sircilla on Monday.
The TRS has threatened that it would not allow the YSR Congress leader to enter Sircilla till that party spells out its stand on the separate Telangana issue. Tension has already mounted with the threat of violence looming large not only in Sircilla but also Siddipet, the hotbed of separate Telangana activity. The TRS and the T-JAC have given a call for a bandh in Sircilla coinciding with her visit.
TRS determined
Notwithstanding the rising tension, Ms. Vijayamma would leave from Hyderabad at 6.30 a.m. on Monday morning and reach Sircilla at 10 a.m. YSRC leaders said she is unlikely to stop en route to address party workers with the exception of paying a visit to the Komurvelli temple. She may also give a miss to Siddipet to avoid trouble, they added.
After the police accorded permission to the YSRC to hold the protest programme near the Ambedkar statue in Sircilla, the party activists began mobilising people in a big way. On the other hand, the TRS leaders are angered that the police had denied them permission to unveil the statue of Telangana Talli in the town and hold a public meeting. The TRS cadres are determined to obstruct the meeting of Ms. Vijayamma.
In fact TRS wants to stop her convoy, as she enters Medak. Senior TRS leaders like T. Harish Rao, Eatala Rajender and others addressed party workers asking them to stage protests during Ms. Vijayamma’s visit. Sources said the TRS cadres may obstruct the convoy at places like Duddeda, Kuknoorpally, Vargal and Pragnapur on the Rajiv Rahadari, in addition to the road that leads to Sircilla from Siddipet. The TRS sees an opportunity in her visit to raise passions over the statehood issue.
Tight security
According to Officer on Special Duty, Siddipet, N. Koti Reddy, police would not hesitate to arrest the protesters. Medak police has deployed as many as 1,000 personnel to ensure safe passage for the convoy.
Meanwhile, tension ran high in Sircilla on Sunday when some YSRC leaders tore the vinyl posters of Telangana protagonists. As a precautionary measure, police began to take some TRS leaders into preventive custody even as a large posse of police personnel was deployed in the textile town.
Vijayamma’s appeal
Hyderabad Special Correspondent writes: Meanwhile, Ms Vijayamma has urged the TRS leaders not to link her visit to Sircilla with the Telangana statehood issue.
In a statement issued on Sunday night, Ms Vijayamma said the dharna was taken up to highlight the problems of weavers. “My dharna should not be linked to the Telangana issue or any other political issue. I urge all political parties to support the cause of weavers,” she added.
She urged the political parties not to create any hurdles for the dharna as it was being organised in the interest of weavers.
