Normal life is likely to be affected by yet another ‘bandh' in the Telangana region on Monday as public transport, educational institutions, shops and establishments are expected to remain closed.
The region, barring the State capital, is crippled by the ongoing “Sakala Janula Samme” (strike by all sections of people) that entered the 34th day on Sunday. Buses of the Andhra Pradesh Road Transport Corporation were operated on Sunday after they remained off the roads for close to four weeks, but are likely to remain in the depots due to the bandh.
The Telangana Joint Action Committee (TJAC), which is spearheading the agitation for a separate Telangana, has, however, announced suspension of the third day's ‘rail roko' on Monday. Instead, it has called for the ‘bandh' in protest against what it called the police “excesses” against the leaders and their arrests while they were participating in the ‘rail roko' agitation. Nine MPs, several MLAs, and other senior leaders were arrested on the first day of these protests on Saturday.
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Congress MP Ponnam Prabhakar from Karimnagar and TRS Medak MP Vijayashanti were among those remanded in judicial custody. While Mr. Prabhakar continues to be in jail, Ms. Vijayashanti was granted bail on Sunday.
TJAC chairman M. Kodandaram accused the government of adopting “unconstitutional and uncivilised methods” to suppress the ongoing agitation. He said cases were registered against the agitators at the behest of Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy and Director-General of Police V. Dinesh Reddy without following any procedure. MPs, legislators and senior leaders were not spared, while women were kept in custody during the night against the Supreme Court's directives, he alleged.
Meanwhile, the second day of the ‘rail roko' was by and large peaceful.
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