Hyderabad, March 30:Shoot-at-sight orders have been issued in the localities under 17 police station limits in the Old city on Tuesday as miscreants armed with stones attempted to defy curfew and converge on the roads to foment trouble again in the strife-torn areas.
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It might be recalled here that as unprecedented violence erupted in the sensitive walled city on Monday leading to imposition of indefinite curfew from 7 pm after two persons died in stabbing spree and a number of houses looted.
On information that trouble mongers were trying to regroup defying curfew, the Commissioner of Police, Mr A. K. Khan, issued shoot-at-sight orders in the old city to deal firmly with the perpetrators of communal violence even as the police received flak from the Opposition parties in the State Assembly for “miserably failing to protect the lives and properties of the residents in disturbed areas”.
Mr G. Kishen Reddy, said that though the SSC examinations in the centers located in old city were postponed, there were many students residing in disturbed areas but their examination centers were located in non-curfew areas.
The Minister for Secondary Education, Mr D. Manikya Vara Prasada Rao, assured the House that those students residing in old city and could not take up examinations would also be eligible for the re-examination.
The Chief Minister, Mr K. Rosaiah, intervening observed that he had convened a meeting of top officials at 10 am to review the situation in the old city and the future course of action will be discussed to restore peace in the area and also instill confidence among the people. “The government will put down violence with an iron hand”, he declared and sought the cooperation of all political parties to restore normalcy and communal harmony among the people in the disturbed areas.
Mr Rosaiah also informed that a meeting with all the Opposition parties was being convened and invited all to attend the same to make suggestions and help the government to handle the situation firmly.
The Telugu Desam party tried to raise the communal clashes issue during the zero hour, when Dr Nagam Janardhan Reddy, wanted a clarification from the government over speculations that there was conspiracy within the Congress party to destabilize the Rosaiah government and that the disturbances in the old city was an offshoot of this conspiracy.
This sparked off loud protests from the Congress members, including city ministers, Mr D. Nagender and Mr Mukesh Goud. The TDP members also tried to counter the ruling party members and the House was rocked by noisy scenes for sometime due to the verbal exchanges between the two sides.
The Speaker restored order in the House by cautioning the members to desist from any statement or remarks that would only incense the sensitive issue. He also advised the members to attend the all-party meeting being convened by the Chief Minister and elicit the government views and also make suggestions to sooth the ruffled feelings of the people in the old city.
The Telugu Desam members declined to heed to the advice of the Speaker and insisted for a clarification from the government and raised slogans. The Speaker adjourned the House for a brief period. When it reassembled, the TDP members continued to stall the proceedings and squatted on the podium forcing the adjournment of the House for a second time. When there was no let up in the situation with the TDP members sticking to their guns and wanting a clarification from the government on the conspiracy theory, the House was adjourned for a third time.(NSS)