Thaindian News

Hyderarabad, Feb 13 (IANS) The day-long shutdown call by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of students to protest the terms of reference of the Srikrishna panel, formed on the issue of carving Telangana state out of Andhra Pradesh, evoked partial response Saturday.
Normal life remain unaffected in most parts of Hyderabad and three of nine districts of Telangana region with the state-owned Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation running a majority of its buses.

But shops and business establishments remained closed in districts like Medak, Mahabubnagar, Karimnagar, Warangal, Nizamabad and Adilabad districts.

Protesters damaged six buses in Warangal district. They also set afire Congress party office in Bhupalapally in the same district.

Road transport officials clarified that they had not suspended bus services as Andhra Pradesh High Court recently directed it not to stop buses in advance.

The corporation is running 60 percent of its bus services despite the shutdown. An official said in view of Mahashivratri they withdrew 20 to 25 percent bus services due to fall in number of commuters.

Activists of Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS), Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and other pro-Telangana groups took to the streets at several places, staging demonstrations and blocking vehicles.

As a preventive measure, police have arrested dozens of pro-Telangana leaders since Friday night. Police also took into custody protesters who were going around in various towns forcing shops to close.

Anticipating violent protests by students, police and paramilitary forces have been deployed at Osmania University campus here. The campus has been the nerve centre of the agitation for a separate state.

The students’ JAC, which has given the call for the shutdown, is likely to stage protests at the university later Saturday. The shutdown call has been backed by the JAC of all political parties.

In Hyderabad, police imposed prohibitory orders, banning public meetings, rallies and processions for a week.

The all-party JAC has rejected the terms of reference which they said were against the Dec 9 statement by the central government to initiate the process of formation of Telangana state.

According to the seven terms of reference announced by the central government Friday, the five-member panel will consider both the demands for separate Telangana state and for maintaining the present status of a united Andhra Pradesh.

The committee, which has been asked to submit its report by Dec 31, is holding its first meeting in New Delhi Saturday.