Condemning the police attitude towards the activists during the Telangana March, Women Joint Action Committee (JAC) on Tuesday said they were ashamed that women were subjected to harassment by the Police when a woman was the Home minister of the state.
Speaking at a media conference here, the POW president Sandhya stated that Telangana people were not deterred by the lathi- charges and tear gas shells, but participated in Telangana March in large numbers. Though permission was given for the Telangana March, the Telangana people faced the hurdles of lathi-charges and barricades, to come to the march. The Telangana March was conducted in such a way to open the eyes of the political leaders, she added.
She questioned as to why the Government was not controlling Seemandhra leader Lagadapati Rajagopal, who was provoking the Telangana people.
Referring to the comments of Panchayat Raj minister K Jana Reddy that no one had a right to ask their resignation, Sandhya said people, who voted the ministers, had every right to demand their resignation. Reminding that police had filed cases against T JAC leaders Prof Kodandaram and Mallepalli Laxmaiah, she demanded that the government should unconditionally withdraw the cases. Police in mufti resorted to vandalism and violent incidents during the march, she alleged.
Telangana United Front (TUF) leader Vimalakka reminded that on one side the government gave permission to the Telangana March and on other side, it resorted to suppressive measures with arrests of leaders and lathi charge on Telangana activists. She alleged that the government had no respect to democracy. The Government has turned as a doll in the hands of Seemandhra leaders Lagadapati Rajagopal, Rayapati Sambashiva Rao, she charged.
She pointed out that the police had indiscriminately lathi charged the women who came to participate in the Telangana March. The Government which resorted to suppressive measures, could never become people’s government, she opined. Respecting the demand of Telangana people, the ministers should resign to their posts. Kiran Kumar Reddy government had no moral right to continue in power, she added.
Referring to the demand of Lagadapati Rajagopal that Osmania University should be closed, she warned that they would bury Lagadapati in Osmania University campus.
The Telangana Women JAC leaders Shantha Kumari and Malleshwari, who received injuries in the police lathi charge, were present at the media conference. (NSS)