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Commotion at Kiran's Rachabanda

D. Sreenivasulu

- Photo: U. Subramanyam

PROMPT ACTION:Police clearing the protesters at Jupadu Bungalow in Kurnool district on Thursday.

SINGAYAPALLI (Mahabubnagar Dt.): The first-ever Rachabanda meeting addressed by Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy in Telangana region on Thursday in this remote village in Kollapur Assembly constituency was marked by commotion and slogan-shouting.

Police had to resort to mild lathicharge to disperse the protesters who flung chairs and waived flags at the public meeting on the village outskirts. The agitated mob, comprising representatives of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti, the Telugu Desam and youth of other pro-Telangana outfits and Palamur University, damaged five buses and a few cars in protest against the police “highhandedness”.

Some youth activists were taken into custody when they tried to register their protest by raising slogans of Jai Telangana. Heavy police force was deployed in the village as police anticipated trouble by the Telangana agitators. The services of police personnel from other districts were also utilised.

The Chief Minister was distracted from his speech and tried to seek the support of the audience asking them to raise their hands to silence the detractors. He wanted their opinion whether a programme like Rachabanda was required or not. Enthused by instant response from the crowd, Mr. Kiran said that should be the answer for the trouble-makers.

Mr. Kiran said the government would not budge but implement the agenda in support of the poor howsoever big hurdles created by the rivals.

Earlier, Mr. Kiran who attended Rachabanda at Jupadu Bungalow in Kurnool district was greeted by protesters who demanded Scheduled Caste status for “Budaga Jangalu” (nomadic community) and jobs for the oustees of Srisailam project as promised by the previous governments.

They disrupted the speech and blocked the convoy of the Chief Minister.

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