Police conspiracy in dharna at Varavara's residence

Hyderabad, Nov 25 (INN): Congress MLA Dr G Chinna Reddy on Tuesday smelled a conspiracy by the State Police in a dharna staged at the residence of revolutionary poet Varavara Rao.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour in the Telangana Legislative Assembly, Chinna Reddy said that some people staged demonstration at Varavara Rao's residence seeking protection from Maoists. He said a similar dharna was staged before the house of baladeer Gadar. He suspected that the dharna could be a part of conspiracy hatched by the police against Varavara Rao.

TDP MLA Vivekananda Goud raised the issue of drinking water problem in the twin cities and also brought the attention of the government on the alleged irregularities in the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board.

YSRCP MLA P Venkateshwarlu demanded increase in the bhatta for policemen and early implementation of promise of making the rank of SIs equivalent to Gazetted officers.

Replying to this question, Legislative Affairs Minister T Harish Rao said that the State Government was taking all steps for the welfare of policemen. He said that the government has sanctioned Rs 50,000 for all police stations in the city and Rs 25,000 for those in rural areas towards purchase of stationary and maintenance.

BJP MLA Chintala Ramakrishna Reddy demanded probe into the alleged encroachment on 43 acres of land belonging ot Shamshan at Panjagutta. He said that the GHMC had approved a building on the same land while Jalagam Venkala Rao Park was also located on land belong to Shamshan. Deputy Chief Minister has assured to look into the issue.

TDP MLA R Krishnaiah demanded increase in the salaries of sarpanches to Rs 20,000 per month. He said the sarpanches are drawing mere Rs 600 to Rs 1,000 per month and the position was not changing their social status. He also demanded voting rights for Sarpanches in the local bodies.

MIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi raised the issue of supply of drugs in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. He said that while several drugs are freely available at public places, many youth are using whitener, spirit, cough syrups and anesthesia medicines as drugs.

He demanded stern action against the drug peddlers and ban on sale of whitener, spirit and cough syrups without prescriptions. He also urged the government to start rehabilitation centres to get the youth de-addicted from these habits.