HYDERABAD: The much-awaited Million March, called by the Telangana Joint Action Committee (TJAC) demanding immediate introduction of the Telangana bill in Parliament, threw normal life out of gear in Hyderabad on Thursday.
Tank Bund, overlooking the Hussainsagar, resembled Cairo’s Tahrir Square as thousands of pro-Telangana activists swarmed the area, clashed with security forces and broke through the barricades. Chanting slogans and waving flags, they marched to their destination and police personnel, despite their best efforts, ended up watching the decades old link between the twin cities, Hyderabad and Secunderabad, turn pink.
However, it was not all rosy. Minutes after the march formally ended this evening, the T activists went berserk raining stones on the police, setting afire police and media vehicles besides attacking a nearby hotel forcing the cops to lob tear gas shells and whip out their lathis.
But what evoked some strong reactions across the spectrum was the vandalising of the statues of the State’s cultural icons on the Tank Bund. A ‘team’ of protestors went about smashing the statues of “non-Telangana” legends, including those of Srikrishna Devarayalu and poet Sri Sri, and throwing some of them into the Hussainsagar.
Earlier, Congress’ Telangana MPs K Keshava Rao and Madhu Yashki Goud, who ventured to join the protest on the Tank Bund, had to beat a hasty retreat after coming under attack.
Elsewhere in the City, a curfew-like situation prevailed with shops and establishments and malls downing shutters voluntarily since morning. Traffic was thin throughout the day due to the restrictions imposed by the police. The Osmania University, as expected, once again witnessed clashes between the police and the students with the latter trying to force their way to the Tank Bund.
Despite preventive arrests which began last night itself and heavy deployment of police at railway stations, bus stands and the main roads, about 20,000 people made it to the Tank Bund from different parts of Telangana.
In fact, the police had denied permission for the march and prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC had been clamped but by 1 p.m. when the march started, none appeared bothered by the cops who just stood by and watched the proceedings.
Citizens, particularly employees, were seen picking up heated arguments with policemen who prevented vehicular movement at several places in the City though the march was scheduled to take place between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Most of the students, who had examinations this morning, had a tough time making it to the exam centres.
More than the Million March, it was the police who caused inconvenience to lakhs of people.