Heated exchanges between people's representatives in the city marred the continuing general strike by pro-Telangana groups in Hyderabad and the region for the 15th day today. Power cuts, thin attendance in Government offices and buses being off the roads were common.
The Congress (I) MP from Vijayawada, Mr Lagadapati Rajagopal, was involved in a brush with Mr Harish Rao of the Telangana Rastra Samithi (TRS) and Madhu Yaski Goud, Nizamabad, Cong (I) MP near the Road Transport Authority office in the afternoon. Police took away the politicians to different police stations to diffuse the situation.
The trouble arose when Mr Rajagopal a votary for a united Andhra Pradesh visited the RTA, which saw arguments yesterday between the TRS leaders and a few officers, to meet the staff there. The pro-Telangana leaders, who got wind of this, reached the place quickly, resulting in the altercation.
Industries effect
Industries continued to suffer power problems even as domestic consumers were subject to higher hours of power cut. The Government claimed improvement in the situation in the Singareni Collieries and running of transport buses.
The State Principal Secretary, Industries and Commerce, Mr T.S. Appa Rao, said, “Industry felt the impact of the strike for two days. Today industries were back to work. We are monitoring the hinterland of Telangana and find that the agitators were not focussing on the industry.”
Future agitation programme
Meanwhile, the Telangana Joint Action Committee (TJAC), which is spearheading the Sakala Janula Samme (general strike), has announced rasta roko tomorrow, Hyderabad bandh on September 30 and rail roko during October 9-11 to intensify the stir.
Action has partly moved to New Delhi, where Congress (I) leaders from the Telangana region are meeting Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is expected to submit his report by September 30. Mr Azad is also expected to meet the State Congress Committee chief, Mr Botsa Satyanarayana, and the Chief Minister, Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy.