Hyderabad, March 9 (Agencies): The stage is set for a possible showdown between police and Telangana protesters in Hyderabad on Thursday as the Telangana Joint Action Committee (TJAC) has vowed to go ahead with the million march despite ban orders. In an attempt to foil the march and to prevent people from reaching Hyderabad, police ice in Telangana districts on Wednesday took a large number of activists into preventive custody.
As the police have denied permission to TJAC for the million march, barricades have been put up in 9 districts and on the outskirts of Hyderabad to prevent activists joining the protest. The TJAC, which comprises Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and other groups fighting for separate Telangana state, has decided to hold the march of a million supporters to demand a bill in parliament for the creation of the state. Telangana leaders of the ruling Congress party and main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) are backing the march. The Telangana Praja Front of Maoist sympathiser Gaddar, students’ groups and lawyers’ organisations have also announced support.
Prohibitory orders banning the assembly of four or more persons have been imposed in Hyderabad and Cyberabad police commissionerates. Additional forces, including the central paramilitary troops, were deployed in the city to maintain law and order and provide security to IT companies. Police have also imposed traffic restrictions on Tank Bund, the venue of the march, and surrounding areas. As the state assembly is in session, security was also beefed up at the assembly building and also at other vital installations. Hyderabad police commissioner AK Khan told reporters that permission was not given for the march as it would throw traffic out of gear and cause inconvenience to people. But the TJAC maintains that the march needs no permission as it would be a peaceful programme.
As the police have denied permission to TJAC for the million march, barricades have been put up in 9 districts and on the outskirts of Hyderabad to prevent activists joining the protest. The TJAC, which comprises Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and other groups fighting for separate Telangana state, has decided to hold the march of a million supporters to demand a bill in parliament for the creation of the state. Telangana leaders of the ruling Congress party and main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) are backing the march. The Telangana Praja Front of Maoist sympathiser Gaddar, students’ groups and lawyers’ organisations have also announced support.
Prohibitory orders banning the assembly of four or more persons have been imposed in Hyderabad and Cyberabad police commissionerates. Additional forces, including the central paramilitary troops, were deployed in the city to maintain law and order and provide security to IT companies. Police have also imposed traffic restrictions on Tank Bund, the venue of the march, and surrounding areas. As the state assembly is in session, security was also beefed up at the assembly building and also at other vital installations. Hyderabad police commissioner AK Khan told reporters that permission was not given for the march as it would throw traffic out of gear and cause inconvenience to people. But the TJAC maintains that the march needs no permission as it would be a peaceful programme.
