Demanding that the state government immediately and unconditionally release Osmania University Students Joint Action Committee president Pidamarthi Ravi, Telangana Rashtra Samithi Floor Leader in the state Assembly Etala Rajender on Sunday said that the government was trying to put down the separate statehood agitation by force.
Mr Rajender told media persons that the state government was scared that the proposed Millennium March would destroy its credibility and force it to act on the separate statehood demand. The TRS leader said that this was behind the arrest of the OUSJAC leader Ravi.
Mr Ravi had been picked up by Task Force sleuths late on Saturday night as part of the preventative measures being put in place in view of the Millennium March.
It is unclear whether he was taken into custody from the University campus. Some reports suggest that the students’ leader was picked up from Bagh Lingampally.
Mr Rajender stated that the state government was on tenterhooks and had directed the police to arrest other prominent OUS JAC leaders.
Meanwhile, Telangana Political Joint Action Committee convenor Kodandaram also condemned Mr Ravi’s arrest and termed the government action as ‘unfortunate.’
Prof Kodandaram said that the arrests, four days before the March was scheduled, was evidence of the government apprehensive. This apprehension was making it resort to reprehensive measures, Prof Kodandaram stated.