Many wonder if tie-up for bandh is good for the future
Police arrest Congress leaders Danam Nagender, Anjan Kumar Yadav and others while they were leading a rally from Charminar to Secunderabad, to appeal to the people to make Saturday's bandh a success. South Zone police said that the leaders did not
Hyderabad: Even as almost the entire Opposition — Congress, Telugu Desam, BJP and other parties — is gearing up to ensure success of its first “united” bandh on Saturday, senior leaders are pondering whether such “harmony” would be harmful to these parties in the longer run. The bandh, called to protest against the TRS government’s failure to waive the pending Rs 8,500 crore farm loans in one go and highlight other issues, has been backed by almost all Opposition parties, except the MIM.
While some Congress leaders are upset with the state party leadership’s decision to join hands with arch rival BJP, that party’s leaders are peeved at their leadership continuing an alliance with the TD. “It’s politically suicidal for the Congress to have any truck with the BJP in the state on farmers’ issues. We are fighting the Modi government tooth and nail, and vice versa. What message is our party sending to the people and voters?” wondered a Congress MP.
He said, Congress leaders could have gone alone and consoled the kin of those who committed suicide and also extended financial help. Congress is a force to reckon with in Telangana. While Modi abuses Congress day in and day out, we are having truck with BJP in the state. Idiotic to say the least.”
Another senior leader said that the Congress truck with BJP and TD would damage the party and affect the forthcoming GHMC elections. “It’s not a good decision. We are a national party and we should have gone alone. This kind of an alliance will only help the TRS,” he said. Interestingly, some BJP leaders are also not happy with the party continuing an alliance with TD in TS.
“Have you seen the Rythu deeksha in Gajwel? While there were 100 yellow (TD) flags, BJP flags were invisible. TD leaders dominated the proceedings while our leaders looked uncomfortable,” said a senior BJP leader. “It’s not too late for the party leadership to reconsider this alliance with the TD in TS. Every TS BJP leader wants the party to go alone,” he said.
Ts people do not support bandh: TRS
Leaders of the ruling TRS, as if in one voice, on Friday said that there was no public support for Saturday’s bandh call and asked people to be careful about the Opposition’s “antics”. Leading the TRS charge, IT minister K.T. Rama Rao said, “Those who ordered cops to bash up farmers are now undertaking “Rythu Bharosa yatras”. They destroyed the state for 60 years and now expect a 15-month-old government to undo their mistakes.”
Speaking in Medak district, he accused the Opposition parties of fleecing the farmers and denying them their basic needs. Describing the Congress, TD, BJP and other parties’ united call for bandh as “unholy”, he said that the people “are aware who is working for the interests of farmers and who is not”.
“Before anyone demanding it, the Chief Minister enhanced ex gratia to the kin of farmers who committed suicide to Rs 6 lakh and launched the Kalyana Lakshmi scheme,” he said. Mr Rama Rao said TRS government took a brave decision to waive Rs 17,000 crore farm loans which no other state dared to. “Let the BJP and other parties help the state in getting the required loans from the Centre,” he said.
Agriculture minister Pocharam Srinivas Reddy said, “We are doing our best to tide over the crisis and help farmers. Opposition is trying to find some pretext or other to create unrest.” Commercial taxes minister T. Srinivas Yadav accused the Opposition of staging a drama for survival.
Cops to ensure peace:
Telangana state police will deploy extra personnel on October 10 to ensure no untoward incident occurs during the state-wide bandh called by the Opposition parties. Senior police officials said that special security will be provided to important establishments.
A senior police officer said that the no one would be allowed to take the law into their hands, and any attempt to take out rallies will be thwarted since prohibitory orders were in force. “No gathering or rally will be allowed in the city without prior police permission. Anybody attempting to break the law will be taken into custody,” said the officer, adding special protection will be provided to administrative buildings and other public properties.
In the run-up to Saturday’s bandh, Opposition parties have been staging protests across the state this week following suspension of 30 members from the Legislative Assembly for disrupting the proceedings.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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