With less than 48 hours left for the proposed 'Telangana March' at Tank Bund here on September 30, the Andhra Pradesh Police today reiterated its warning of initiating stern action against law breakers even as it appealed to the organisers to put off the march.
Anticipating violence during the proposed march, for which permission has not been granted so far, in-charge Director General of Police V. Dinesh Reddy told reporters that the AP and Hyderabad Police are geared up to face any eventuality and its responsible for maintaining law and order and protect lives ensuring safety of properties of Hyderabadis.
"I make a fervent appeal to the organisers of the 'Telangana March' to postpone the march to any other day or any other venue as it will be coinciding with Ganesh immersion (September 30) taking place on Tank Bund.
With lakhs of devotees including ladies, aged and children witnessing Ganesh immersion...the anti-social elements and communal elements can creep into this religious crowd to foment trouble and once policing begins the innocent will get affected," he explained.
The AP Police chief said Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy had given him clear instructions to ensure that no untoward incidents take place.
"There will not be any let up in law and order machinery. Under any circumstances we will maintain law and order. We will take very stern action against law breakers and will revoke stringent penal sections against them," Dinesh Reddy said and assured public that the law enforcing machinery will take care of them and they need not panic.
Reacting to a query, the In-Charge DGP said, "We will be advising the government keeping law and order point of view its not safe to merge two crowds (religious activity and political activity of Telangana March) at the same venue. Any government will to go by advise of law enforcing agency which is in public interest.''
Reacting to another query, Dinesh Reddy, however, said if they ('Telangana March' organisers) seek permission for any other venue other than Tank Bund on the same day or even the same venue (Tank Bund) on any other day apart from September 30, police may consider it.
"We are not against any democratic activity. We are not against Telangana March, but they can choose some other day by applying for permission from Police Commissioner, who will favourably consider the same," the AP Police chief said.
In view of 'Telangana March' call given by T-JAC and other Telangana groups, police will have to sanitise the entire Tank bund area in the overall interest of people and law and order, as it is a banned activity, he said.
Reddy said they also had the option of stopping Ganesh immersion procession on September 29 midnight itself, adding "We are thinking. Though it may be inconvenience to the Ganesh pandal organisers and devotees."
Reddy also appealed the youths and others taking part in the march (statehood supporters) not to get misled by certain vested interests who he said were trying to motivate them in their narrow-minded acts and make them scapegoats.
"We are going to come very heavily against trouble-makers in order to stop destruction of individuals and properties and in controlling law and order. We will maintain very strict vigil and are issuing stern warning that we will not allow anti-social elements to have a field day," he warned.
People coming to take part in this march which has been prohibited were already being prevented in the (Telangana) districts itself, he added.