Telangana backers set to protest AP foundation day

With just one day to go for the Andhra Pradesh Formation Day celebrations, regional tensions have heightened with some unidentified persons burning the statue of Potti Sriramulu, the architect of an integrated Andhra Pradesh.

The incident at the Telugu University Campus in the heart of Hyderabad city has sparked off protests in coastal Andhra region.

Police said two unknown youth entered the campus and poured diesel on the statue of Sriramulu before setting it on fire. However the alert employees of the university put out the fire and the intruders escaped from the scene.

Security has been tightened at the statue of Potti Sriramulu and Telugu Talli on the Tank Bund where the official celebrations of AP Formation Day will be held. Armed police personnel have been deployed near the statue as many Telangana organizations have given a call for the boycott of the official function on Monday.

Both Potti Sriramulu and Telugu Talli are seen as the symbol of a unified Andhra Pradesh, an anathema for the protagonists of the separate Telangana state.

In another incident, students of Osmania University Joint Action Committee in Hyderabad also burnt the effigy of Potti Sriramulu in Hyderabad.

In retaliation the students of Andhra University in Visakhapatanam burnt the effigy of Telangana Joint Action Committee on Saturday. Condemning the burning of the effigy of Sriramulu, Andhra University students said that those demanding Telangana state should fight the state government and not burn the effigy of a man who had laid down his life for Andhra.

United Andhra Pradesh protection committee demanded that a treason case should be booked against those involved in the burning of effigy of Potti Sriramulu.

Telangana Rashtra Samiti, Telangana Joint Action Committee and several other organisations have given a call for the boycott of the official celebrations and asked the people of Telangana to organise protests on the day.

They have also urged the elected representatives not to participate in the official functions in the districts. "When we have demanded divorce, what is the meaning of organising marriage anniversary", asked Prof Kodanda Ram, the convenor of JAC.

T Harish Rao of Telganan Rashtra Samiti has also warned the elected representatives of other parties against participating in official functions saying they will have to face the wrath of the people of Telangana.

But the elected representatives of ruling Congress party appeared to be divided on the issue. While the Congress Member of Parliament from Peddapally G Vivek supported the idea of staying away from official function, two ministers from Telangana region K Venkat Reddy and D Nagendar said they will participate in the official program of AP Formation Day.

"Why KCR did not boycott the celebrations when he was a minister and deputy speaker in the state?" asked Nagendar.