'Unsavoury protest': Komti's convoy greeted with slippers, eggs

Slippers and eggs rained on Minister for Infrastructure, Investments, Ports, Airports and Natural Gas Komatireddy Venkata Reddy’s convoy as it tried to avoid a group of protestors, suspected to be belonging to the Telangana Rashtra Samithi and Bharatiya Janata Party, who were keen to obstruct it in Adilabad district on Friday.

The activists hurled slippers and eggs on the Minister’s convoy even while raising `Jai Telangana’ slogans and tried to block his car.

The protestors also demanded that Mr Venkata Reddy step down from his post and express solidarity with those demanding a separate Telangana state.

The attempt to block the passing of the Minister’s car was thwarted by the police who resorted to a lathi-charge and chased the protestors away. The protestors however regrouped and started shouting slogans against Mr Venkata Reddy and the government.

The protestors also demanded that the Centre should introduce the Telangana bill in the Budget Session of Parliament and accused it of resorting to delaying tactics.

Speaking to media persons later, Mr Venkata Reddy expressed that he has not taken kindly to the ‘welcome’ shown to him during his tour of the district. He described the ‘bombardment’ of slippers and eggs on his convoy as ‘cheap gimmicks’.

The Minister further added that these ‘cheap gimmicks’ would not serve any purpose the government would not be held responsible for police action against the activists.

Though Mr Venkata Reddy may have shown his displeasure at the ‘attack’ on him, but he did go on to say that he favoured the Fifth Option given in the Justice Srikrishna Committee Report which states that bifurcation of the State into Telangana and Seemandhra as per existing boundaries with Hyderabad as the capital of Telangana and Seemandhra to have a new capital.

The Minister also said the government was making efforts towards providing better facilities to state government employees and asked them to withdraw their pen down strike.