Mahabubnagar bandh against RDS damage peaceful, total

Mahabubnagar, Aug 16 (INN): Mahabubnagar observed a peaceful yet total shutdown as part of protest against the damage to the plates of the sluice across river Tungabhadra to prevent release of water to Rajolibanda Diversion scheme (RDS) on Monday.

The bandh call was given by Telangana Rashtra Samithi, Bharatiya Janata Party, Communist Party of India. Following the bandh call, shops and business establishments downed their shutters voluntarily. Schools and colleges declared holiday.
TRS activists and leaders of Joint Action Committee blocked traffic on Errapalli Chourasta on NH7.

APSRTC suspended 814 services across 8 depots in the district apprehending attack on the buses. Commuters at Nagarkurnool, Acchampet, Shadnagar, Palamuru and Vanaparthy were left stranded and were seen trying to make alternate arrangements.
Both the avowedly pro-Telangana parties, TRS and BJP, described the bandh as a 'total' success.

The situation in the entire district was peaceful except for the reports of some activists picketing political leaders and pressurizing them to join the pro-Telangana agitations.
TRS activists picketed the Telugu Desam Party office in Mahabubnagar and demanded that MLA Nagam Janardhana Reddy resign from his seat in support of the bandh call. The slogan shouting activists wondered as to why Mr Janardhana Reddy hand not condemned the damage to the sluice plates if he has any real commitment towards Telangana.

Mr Janardhana Reddy blamed the Congress government for the incident and said that the ruling party had a negligent attitude to irrigation projects in Telangana region.
The TDP MLA called on the government to settle the water sharing between districts under the Madras agreement.
TRS and BJP activists also blockaded TPP MLA Jaipal Yadav's residence in Kalwakurthi for some time. Mr Yadav told the protestors that protecting farmers' interests was his top priority and urged the government to initiate stern action against culprits.

The protestors also demanded that the government book the culprits responsible for the sluice plates' damage and also take immediate repair works. The TRS and BJP activists alleged that Mantralayam MLA Bala Nagi Reddy and his followers could be involved in the vandalism act.

The BJP leaders Jhansi, Achary and Nagurao also started an indefinite hunger strike to protest against the damaging of shutters and urged the government to find a permanent solution to the problem. Meanwhile the Kosigi police on Monday arrested 15 relatives of MLA Bala Nagi Reddy on suspicion of damaging the shutters, in addition to the 25 people already taken custody on Sunday.

In Hyderabad, Home Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy appealed to the people of Mahabubnagar and Kurnool districts to observe restraint and assured them that action would be taken against those responsible for the incident.