Thaindian News

Hyderabad, Feb 22 (IANS) Pro-Telangana activists Monday continued their protests in different parts of Telangana demanding that the central government immediately initiate the process for granting separate statehood to the region.
Activists of Madiga Reservation Porata Samiti (MRPS), a group working for the rights of Madiga community, laid siege to the house of senior Congress leader and former home minister K. Jana Reddy demanding his resignation as legislator.

Shouting slogans of “Jai Telangana”, the MRPS activists sat at the entrance to the house demanding that the legislator resign to mount pressure on the central government to form a separate Telangana state. The activists said Jana Reddy should quit as he was one of the key leaders in the formation of the all-party Joint Action Committee (JAC) but left the JAC at a crucial juncture.

The protestors said that at a time when students and youth were committing suicides, leaders like Jana Reddy should sacrifice their posts for the sake of Telangana.

Police later dispersed the protestors.

Workers of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) blocked trains at Warangal railway station, demanding a bill in parliament to carve out Telangana state. Police said the protestors blocked the Secunderabad-Vijayawada Satavahana Express for nearly an hour.

Meanwhile, Osmania University students JAC Monday said people’s representatives were responsible for the suicides of students and youth in Telangana. The JAC reiterated its demand that all elected representatives from the region quit to put pressure on the central government.

The JAC appealed to students not to resort to suicides and instead participate in the Telangana movement. It assured the people that the movement would be peaceful.

Opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader from Andhra region S. Chandramohan Reddy said provocative statements and promises of Telangana leaders were responsible for suicides. He pointed out that some leaders were promising a job and three acre land to every household in separate Telangana state.

Pro-Telngana groups claim that over 300 supporters of Telangana have committed suicide during the last three months. “On an average, five people are losing their lives daily for the sake of Telangana,” said TRS leader E. Rajender, who along with nine other legislators have resigned over the demand.

In the latest incident, a 19-year-old student had immolated himself in full public view at Osmania University during a protest Saturday.