HYDERABAD: All eyes are set on the “Capture Dharna Chowk” programme proposed to be organised by the Telangana Joint Action Committee (TJAC) headed by M Kodandaram with the support of opposition parties on Monday.
Since police have denied permission for the protest, political circles are curious how TJAC will pull off the programme.
Since the state government earlier foiled TJAC’s attempts to hold an unemployment rally at Dharna Chowk by detaining Kodandaram from his residence, and later thwarted its bid to organise the ‘2K Run’ by deploying a huge contingent of police, doubts are being raised on how far the TJAC would be successful in organising the Monday’s protest. However, the TJAC leaders have expressed confidence that the protest will be a success.
“TJAC activists along with workers of opposition parties will come in huge numbers to Hyderabad from different parts of the state on Monday to capture the Dharna Chowk as a symbolic protest to force the government to drop its proposal of shifting it to the city’s outskirts,” Kodandaram said before going into hiding on Sunday.
Meanwhile, some locals along with members of Indira Park Morning Walkers’ Association on Sunday staged a competitive protest opposing TJAC’s proposed demonstration on Monday. They alleged that a lot of daily dharnas, at least two to three, being organised at the Chowk, are causing inconvenience to them. “This apart, several hospitals and educational institutions are located around Indira Park. Regular protests here causes traffic snarls inconveniencing locals,” they alleged. Sources, meanwhile, said the protest was organised at the behest of local TRS leaders in order to corner TJAC.
Freedom fighters speak out
Freedom fighters belonging to Telangana on Sunday urged KCR to drop his proposal to relocate Dharna Chowk. Some of them took part in a protest organised at the CPI state office here to mark the 30th day of Dharna Chowk Parirakshana Committee deekshas.
The freedom fighters said they had never thought that the state would see such a day.
Apart from freedom fighters including Burgula Narsing Rao, J Mallaiah Gupta, Dodda Narayana Rao and others, Civil Rights activist Prof Haragopal too participated in the protest organised by Dharna Chowk Parirakshana Committee co-convener Prof PL Vishweshwar Rao and others.