WARANGAL: About 50 families of Telangana youths, who had ended their lives for the cause of separate Telagnana, launched a deeksha at the T Martyrs Memorial in Hanamkonda on Sunday in protest against TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu's tour in the district.
Naidu is scheduled to tour Warangal on Jan 6, as part of his Rythu Porubata. Venkatachari, father of Srikanthachari who immolated himself in Hyderabad, also participated in the protest.
Members of the 50 families blamed Naidu for suicide by their children. "After the announcement on Telangana was made by the Centre on Dec 9, 2009, Naidu garnered the support of Seemandhra leaders for obstructing statehood to the region," they alelged.
They said that they would not allow Naidu to enter the district as long as he did not make his stand on Telangana clear.
TJAC district convener Prof T Papi Reddy, Warangal West MLA Dasyam Vinay Bhaskar, former MLA Dr T Rajaiah and BJP district unit president D Devender Reddy expressed solidarity with the families.
Addressing the gathering, MLA Vinay Bhaskar criticised the police for issuing notices to 30 Telangana activists after they announced of disrupting Naidu's tour.
"Cops are trying to arrest Telangana activists by foisting illegal cases on them before Naidu's tour," he alleged.
"Police are stating that they had issued notices as Telangana activists made provocative statements. TDP leader Errabelli is also making such statements and why had not cops issued notices to him," he questioned. He wanted the cops to arrest Dayakar Rao. The TRS MLA said that police have to be held responsible for the consequences if Naidu was allowed to tour the district.