Hyderabad, March 09: The Egypt-style Million March, a brainchild of the Telangana Joint Action Committee (TJAC), slated for Thursday may or may not throw normal life out of gear. But the “build up” to the march is certainly sending a shiver or two up the spines of people especially students.
Intermediate, CBSE and ICSE exams are scheduled for the day. The TJAC has altered its timings to spare Inter students but still the other examinations would be in progress by the time — 1 p.m — the Telangana protestors hit the streets.
Taking a tough stand, police on Tuesday “denied” permission to the TJAC to take out the march, notwithstanding the fact that the Telangana leaders have not “sought” their nod in the first place. “The protestors are infringing the rights of the people. They can’t ask permission for such a protest and we can’t give permission for it,” DGP K Aravinda Rao asserted.
On his part, TJAC convenor Prof M Kodandaram “assured” the government of a peaceful march. “People from different parts of Telangana will converge on the Tank Bund and organise a peaceful march. There will be no blocking of the roads anywhere in the twin cities,” he said. He sent, what the police termed “an intimation”, letting them know of his plans. Hyderabad Police Commissioner AK Khan is certainly not amused. “We have communicated back in writing that permission cannot be given as the Million March is likely to throw life out of gear,” Khan said. The police are deploying additional forces in the City as a preventive measure.
Sources told Express that TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao, whose deafening silence on the proposed march has raised a few eyebrows, is “trying to persuade Kodandaram to call it off” through third parties.
Rao, who is camping in Delhi in view of the Parliament session, is said to be wary of the march and its likely fallout. His back-channel diplomacy, though, has not yet yielded the desired results.
Whatever be the politics and the rhetoric of both the sides, what does the march hold for students and the people? The police advice for students is “start by 5 a.m for the exam that starts at 8 a.m.” and carry hall-tickets. Parents “must” carry their IDs.
Kodandaram’s advice for employees is to take leave and participate in the march.
–Agencies