'T' leaders complain of police harassment

Telangana Political Joint Action Committee chairman Prof M Kodandaram on Monday accused the State Government of harassing the leaders and activists of statehood agitation.

Talking to reporters after submitting a memorandum to Home Minister P Sabitha Indira Reddy at her chambers in State Secretariat here on Monday, Prof Kodandaram said that the State police have been harassing the Telangana leaders by serving them notices. He said that several Telangana leaders and activists of Warangal, Karimnagar and Nizamabad district were served notices before the visit of TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu to those districts. He said although several TDP leaders of Telangana region too issued statements against Naidu's visit, police did not serve any notice them.

Stating that he too was in receipt of such a notice, the JAC chairman alleged that the state government was deliberately targeting the Telangana leaders in order to soften the statehood agitation. However, he said that the Telangana leaders would continue to haunt Chandrababu Naidu till he clears his stand on separate statehood demand.

TRS floor leader Etela Rajender said that the Telangana leaders were not afraid of notices or cases and would continue to oppose Chandrababu Naidu for his anti-statehood stand.

BJP MLA Y Lakshminarayana and Telangana Gazetted Officers' Association president Swamy Goud were also part of the delegation. The Home Minister has reportedly assured the delegation of enquiring into the matter with the senior police officials.