Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad   

Ugly incident mars Gandhi Jayanti

HYDERABAD: An ugly incident marred the Gandhi Jayanti celebrations on the Assembly premises with Y. Babu Rajendra Prasad, Member of Legislative Council, staging a sit-in alleging that Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy had “callously discarded” a representation given by him.

As Dr. Reddy was returning to his chambers after paying floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi’s statue in the premises, Mr. Prasad, who is also the honorary president of the Andhra Pradesh Panchayat Sarpanches’ Association, and others got into the security cordon, seeking to submit a representation demanding transfer of powers to panchayats.

Apparently in a hurry, the Chief Minister asked him to come to his office for discussions. When Mr. Prasad tried to plead with Dr. Reddy, Greater Hyderabad unit of Congress president Danam Nagender reportedly asked him to follow the Chief Minister’s suggestion. But, as Mr. Nagender waved his hand, the memorandum fell to the ground and Mr. Prasad was allegedly pushed aside.

Even as Mr. Prasad was picking up the memorandum, Dr. Reddy left. Mr. Prasad and his supporters then sat in protest at the statue, shouting slogans and holding placards.

A little later, when Leader of the Opposition N. Chandrababu Naidu came to pay tributes to Gandhiji, the agitators briefed him about the incident. Extending his support, he said the party would launch an agitation towards the month-end to force the Government to empower the local bodies in tune with the 73rd and 74th constitutional amendments.

Later, the police arrested a few dozen agitators leaving Mr. Prasad. The MLC continued his “protest fast” till 5 p.m. when TDP leaders Myadam Ramachandraiah and P.L. Srinivas arrived and offered him lime juice.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Continuous water supply soon
Savouring Telangana flavour in the US
‘State urged not to hike kerosene price’
MLCs stage protest
New mineral policy soon, says TSR
Varsity named after Gandhi
Persuasive messiahs of light
Call to imbibe Gandhian ideals
Motorists put to hardship at Punjagutta
Suvidha ensures attendance
Impressive show by Nasr students
HUDA moving to ‘green building’
Water supply to be affected
Sleepless night for cricket fans
Society clarifies on demolitions
600 more bus shelters in city
Move on public schools criticised
Succumbs to burns
Ugly incident mars Gandhi Jayanti
Free software for engineering students
Private forensic labs suggested
Onion shortage brings tears to old city residents
Loans to farmers at 3 p.c. interest demanded
Rs. 7,000-cr. loans for SHGs in Andhra Pradesh
In Hyderabad today

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu