WARANGAL/KARIMNAGAR: Chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy, who went ahead to conduct Rachchabanda programme in the hotbed of Telangana region despite T protagonists' warnings and bandh calls, faced a deafening barrage of `Jai Telangana' slogans from women and was forced to abruptly end his speech at Rayanigudem village in Warangal district on Thursday. It was worse at Vallemkunta in Karimnagar when his party MP G Vivek raised `Jai Telangana' slogans and demanded formation of separate T-state much to the chagrin of the CM.
In fact, both districts observed a complete bandh with educational institutions, petrol bunks, hotels, private establishments and cinemas remaining closed in protest against the CM's visit. The protestors squatted in front of RTC bus depots and did not allow the buses to move out, while autos stayed off the road in solidarity.
After conducting Rachchabanda at a government school in Rayanigudem where he doled out sops to the sparse crowd, he addressed a public meeting at nearby Kottur village in Naxal-infested Mulugu mandal. As soon as he got up to address, Kakatiya University girl students started shouting slogans asking him to go back. Soon, 2,500 women started shouting `Jai Telangana' slogans vociferously even as the CM was addressing them. Despite his pleas, they did not stop.
An angry CM called off his address and went away in a huff. The small village was surrounded by a strong force of 6,000 cops for the CM's meeting. Curiously, only women were allowed for the meeting and no men were to be seen. At Mulug, five TRS activists climbed a cell tower to protest the tour, while Warangal West MLA Vinay Bhaskar (TRS) and his followers were stopped by cops at Hanamkonda by the cops. The MLA was arrested.
Earlier, Congress MP Vivek created a flutter by shouting slogans in support of Telangana much to the discomfiture of the CM at Vallemkunta in Manthani mandal, while journalists showed placards demanding separate Telangana and wore black badges. Several MRPS activists were lathicharged when they raised slogans in support of categorisation at the meeting.
The CM lauded minister D Sridhar Babu, who represents Manthani constituency, for bringing in crowds despite the tensions prevailing in the region over the T-demand. He said the Centre is seized of the matter. He promised to complete Yellampalli project in a year.
