Amid fears that its proposed rally on September 30 might turn violent, the Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC) today said it would go ahead with the 'Telangana March' here.
"I would like to reiterate that the JAC is going to conduct the march on 30th. We have decided to continue with this agitation because we have no other option. We tried a number of ways to achieve our demand," M Kodandaram, Convener, Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC), told a group of reporters here.
As fears were expressed that the pro-Telangana ?march? scheduled to be organised at the Tank Bund on the banks of the Hussain Sagar lake might see outbreak of violence, the Andhra Pradesh Police have so far denied permission to the JAC for the event as the massive immersion of Ganesh idols is set coincide with it.
Also, Hyderabad is scheduled to host the prestigious global convention on biodiversity from October 1-19 which is expected to be attended by delegates from about 190 countries and also some Heads of States.
Government sources also pointed out that a similar ?march? held at the same Tank Bund last year saw a number of statues of renowned Telugu personalities being vandalized.
When pointed out that any vested interests might try to create trouble at the march though the JAC wanted it to be peaceful, Kodandaram asserted that the pro-Telangana agitation has by and large been peaceful.
He said the JAC can convince the people to maintain peace during the march if the government gives the permission.
Security was stepped up in and around Hyderabad city ahead of the proposed 'Telangana March' on September 30 even as police intensified checking in neighbouring Telangana districts to "prevent statehood supporters" from joining the march.
Apart from Hyderabad City police, a large number of personnel drawn from other parts of Andhra Pradesh and neighbouring states besides central para-military forces including BSF, CRPF, CISF, RAF were being deployed at different places including Osmania University campus (the nerve centre of Telangana agitation since November 2009), as intelligence inputs had suggested outbreak of violence during the march.
Director General (law and order) S A Huda and Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anurag Sharma have already said that no permission has been given for the march and warned of stern action against those (agitators) trying to create law and order problem.
Terming the proposed march as "illegal", the senior police officers have also asked the agitators from avoiding themselves from taking part in the march.
In order to stop statehood supporters from proceeding to Hyderabad, police intensified frisking of bus passengers and their luggage and other vehicles in Telangana districts of Karimnagar, Nalgonda, Mahabubnagar among others and were also keeping a watch on suspects.
Police officials said, "the checking and frisking operation will continue 24 hours till September 30 to prevent agitators from participating in the march," and also sought cooperation from the public.
The officials said security was heightened and as a precautionary measure they will also resort to preventive arrests even as pro-Telangana groups "condemned" the restrictions and asserted that they were planning a peaceful march.
Police had on Tuesday, sent back scores of students to Suryapet in Nalgonda district while they were on their way to join the proposed march in three buses.