Police foil TTDPF padayatra, MLAs held

The police on Thursday arrested Telugu Desam Party MLAs at Police Control Room after they began a padayatra in support of the Million March to press for the introduction of a separate Telangana Bill in Parliament.

The TDP MLAs, under the banner of the Telangana Telugu Desam Party Forum, began their padayatra from the Assembly premises and were on their way to the Telangana Joint Action Committee office at MLA Quarters when they were stopped at the Control Room.

The Million March is being organised by the Telangana Political Joint Action Committee.

The TTDPF MLAs, led by their convenor Nagam Janardhan Reddy, entered into heated arguments with the police who stopped them and asked them to call off the padayatra. The police officials said that Section 144 was in force.

The police also pointed out that all rallies, dharnas and agitations were banned as part of the security measures announced earlier and reminded the MLAs that they had not obtained permission for the padayatra.

The MLAs however tried to argue that they did not need permission to go ahead with their padayatra, but the police did not relent.

After the MLAs insisted on going ahead with their padayatra, they were arrested.

Even as he was being boarded into a waiting police vehicle, Mr Janardhan Reddy told media persons that the government wants to suppress the Telangana agitation by using police force against leaders and was resorting to illegal arrests.

“The agitation will be intensified until the Centre introduces the Telangana Bill in Parliament,” Mr Janardhan Reddy vowed. Nearly 30 MLAs participated in the Pada yatra.