March ‘off’ if T declared: TJAC

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Telangana Joint Action Committee chairman M. Kodandaram on Tuesday said the September 30 Telangana march would be postponed if the Centre announces Telangana. He also warned that T-activists participating in the march “will not be cowed down by arrests, threats and harassment by government”. “Telangana agitation is people’s agitation. It has gone into the hands of the people. This government is Seemandhra government. It has forgotten the problems of Telangana,” Prof Kodandaram said, while participating in a meet-the-press program-me organised by Telangana Journalists Forum.

Referring to the requests by the state government, including Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, minister Sabita Indra Reddy and others, to postpone the march in view of biodiversity meet, he said the march was aimed at highlighting the self-respect of the people, and the long-pending demand, and awaken the people. “We will postpone the march if the Centre announces Telangana. But there is no question of canceling it otherwise. The march will be peaceful and the government should extend all cooperation in this regard. The government should not take any provocative steps that could trigger unrest,” the TJAC convener said.

City police chief: No permission, forces prepared
Citing security concerns, Hyderabad police commissioner Anurag Sharma on Tuesday made it clear that no permission can be given for the Telangana March on September 30 as Ganesh immersion falls on the same day. Talking about the security issues that may crop up if the march goes ahead as proposed, Mr Sharma said that it would be extremely dangerous to allow the march as it would put devotees, especially women and children, coming for the immersion, at peril. The city police chief added that security has been tightened and the forces have been asked to stay on high alert. He did not divulge any details about the security arrangements. However, Mr Sharma assured that the police has set up booths around the city to ensure that there are no disruptions to the immersion processions.