Hyderabad, July 12: The TRS floor leader in the Assembly, Mr Etela Rajender, Mr T. Harish Rao, Mr K.T. Rama Rao, suspended TD MLA, Mr Nagam Janardhan Reddy and several Telangana leaders were arrested by the police outside the Assembly premises when they tried to go to the Osmania University campus to express solidarity with the students who launched a hunger strike here on Monday.
The TRS and TD leaders argued with the police to allow them to call on the students, but the latter turned down the plea in view of the volatile atmosphere on OU campus. “It’s a murder of democracy. The government is trying to suppress the Telangana movement, but it will be futile. How can they arrest us without the permission of Speaker,” Mr Rama Rao asked. Mr Nagam said the government had no respect for rule of the law and is trying to put all sections of people fighting for Telangana behind bars.
“Arrests cannot stop Telangana movement. It’s a people’s movement and no force can stop,” he remarked. The TJAC convener, Prof. Kodandaram, also accused the government of behaving in a high-handed manner and condemned the arrests. “Students were arrested indiscriminately and thrown behind bars. I strongly condemn police action. We haven’t seen this kind of behaviour even during emergency,” he said. Prof. Kodandaram said the entire OU campus has come under police net and entry into it is much more difficult than crossing the national borders into another country. Expressing solidarity with the striking students, he said they would not be cowed down by arrests and threats. “Our goal is Telangana. We will achieve it at any cost,” he said.