Hyderabad, November 15: Congress leaders from Telangana on Sunday vowed to keep up their efforts to achieve statehood for the region.
A number of party leaders, including MPs K Keshava Rao, G Sukhender Reddy, G Vivek, K Rajagopal Reddy, state minister K Venkata Reddy and senior MLAs K Jana Reddy, R Damodar Reddy, held a meeting at Bhongir in Nalgonda district to pay homage to those who allegedly committed suicide in support of separate Telangana.
The leaders took a pledge that they will continue their efforts for realising the goal of separate Telangana.
The leaders offered financial assistance to the families of those who ended their lives for Telangana and the meeting passed a resolution urging the youth not to commit suicide.
Trouble was witnessed at the meeting as MLA Damodar Reddy objected to minister K Venkata Reddy making reference to late Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy who is widely perceived to be anti-Telangana.
The trouble began after a group of party workers, holding photographs of the late leader, raised slogans about alleged disrespect to him.
Venkata Reddy appealed to the policemen not to act against them and started talking highly about Rajasekhara Reddy’s contribution to the development of the state. Damodar Reddy then went to the minister and asked him about the reference to the late Chief Minister.
The minister, visibly irritated, loudly asked why should Damodar Reddy interfere. Another senior MLA Jana Reddy and the minister’s MP-brother Rajagopal Reddy tried to cool the tempers and made Damodar Reddy sit.
Meanwhile, senior MP Keshav Rao disagreed with the reported remark of Chief Minister K Rosaiah that the heat over Telangana agitation has subsided.
“If the patience of Telangana crosses a limit, it will be very difficult to face,” he said.
The Telangana Congress leaders have held meetings to pay homage to those who allegedly committed suicide for Telangana earlier at Karimnagar and Mahabubnagar.
—-PTI