Congress rally against Secretariat shifting
Hyderabad, Feb 7 (INN): In their first ever agitation after losing power eight months ago, the Telangana Congress leaders and workers have put up an impressive show by attempting to take out a rally from Gandhi Bhavan to Raj Bhavan in protest against the proposed shifting of Secretariat to Erragadda.
The rally, which began on a split mode, ended uniting all the warring groups of Congress party. Led by TPCC President Ponnala Lakshmaiah, Vice-President Mohammed Ali Shabbir, Greater Hyderabad Congress president Danam Nagender and other leaders, hundreds of workers started marching towards the Raj Bhavan. However, instead of moving together, the leaders started walking in smaller groups along with their followers. The city police did not allow them to walk even for half-a-kilometre and started taking all groups into preventive custody near Nampally Railway Station, one after the other.
The Congress activists raised slogans against the TRS Government and Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and their decision to shift the Chest Hospital building to Viqarabad to construct the new Secretariat building. They said that they would never allow the government to either shift the hospital or the Secretariat.
Former MPs M Anjan Kumar Yadav, Ponnam Prabhakar, Rajaiah and Madhu Yaskhi Goud and TPCC Working President Uttam Kumar Reddy were the first ones who were taken into custody. Later, Shabbir Ali and others leaders arrested by the police. The police personnel allegedly used excessive force while arresting Ponnala. It caused fracture on his left hand and he was seen screaming in pain while being shifted in a vehicle to Goshamahal Police Stadium.
DCP Central Zone V B Kamalasan Reddy said that the Congress leaders were arrested as they took out a rally despite being denied permission on Friday. He said that the Congress leaders and workers have violated the prohibitory orders and caused traffic jams on the entire stretch from Maozamjahi Market to Assembly building.
The Congress leaders continued their protest at the Goshamahal Police Stadium.
Meanwhile, a team of doctors was called which advised Ponnala to get admitted in the hospital as he is suspected to have got a fracture on his left hand. Later, he was taken in an ambulance to the Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences where he was admitted.
News Posted: 7 February, 2015
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