Hyderabad: The rail roko agitation called by pro-Telangana groups has become an embarrassment for the UPA government with Telangana Congress MPs joining in and courting arrest.
A total of eight MPs and at least four MLAs were among hundreds of protesters who were taken into preventive custody by the police today. The preventive arrests were made under various provisions of Railway Protection Act and Indian Penal Code.
Telangana Rashtra Samiti president K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) and Joint Action Committee convenor M Kodandaram were booked under the Railway Protection Act, though they have not yet been arrested yet, Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) A R Anuradha said.
As many as seven MPs of the ruling Congress party, including Rajya Sabha member K Keshava Rao, and TRS MP Vijayasanthi were taken into preventive custody.
TRS chief KCR's son and MLA K T Rama Rao was also placed under preventive arrest at Sitaphalmandi railway station for abusing and threatening police officers on duty.
Congress's Karimnagar MP Ponnam Prabhakar was arrested and sent to jail for 13 days.
"The rail roko has been largely successful. It is such a shame for the UPA that members of the Congress party are agitating against their own government. Now the government has to rethink and reconsider what is happening in Telangana," said TRS MLA KT Rama Rao.
"This protest is against the government which is delaying, not opposing. The Congress promised Telangana and I still have belief in my leader and party and also government. So rail roko is not against the government, it is only to hasten the process," said the Congress' Rajya Sabha MP Keshava Rao.
The Telangana Joint Action Committee has, meanwhile, called for bandh on October 17. They also said that the 'rail roko' agitation will continue for three days.
This is undoubtedly a huge embarrassment for the UPA government but in a sense it is also an attempt by the Congress not to allow the political space in the Telangana region to be occupied by the TRS as the sole votary for the people in the region.
Heavy security coupled with the state police chief's warning that stringent action would be taken ensured the number of protesters were far less than during the rail roko last month. There was, however, reports of violence.
While unidentified agitators removed fish-plates and railway track clips in Warangal and Karimnagar districts, a sub-inspector was seriously injured on his head.
The railways operated five Express and seven passenger trains through the Telangana region with full police protection while 35 Multi-Modal Transit System trains were also run in Hyderabad. However, more than 110 trains remained cancelled as a precautionary measure because of the agitation. Another 68 trains were run on diverted routes. The authorities are, however, hoping to resume at least some services with additional security even though the rail roko has been called for three days.
A total of eight MPs and at least four MLAs were among hundreds of protesters who were taken into preventive custody by the police today. The preventive arrests were made under various provisions of Railway Protection Act and Indian Penal Code.
Telangana Rashtra Samiti president K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) and Joint Action Committee convenor M Kodandaram were booked under the Railway Protection Act, though they have not yet been arrested yet, Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) A R Anuradha said.
As many as seven MPs of the ruling Congress party, including Rajya Sabha member K Keshava Rao, and TRS MP Vijayasanthi were taken into preventive custody.
TRS chief KCR's son and MLA K T Rama Rao was also placed under preventive arrest at Sitaphalmandi railway station for abusing and threatening police officers on duty.
Congress's Karimnagar MP Ponnam Prabhakar was arrested and sent to jail for 13 days.
"The rail roko has been largely successful. It is such a shame for the UPA that members of the Congress party are agitating against their own government. Now the government has to rethink and reconsider what is happening in Telangana," said TRS MLA KT Rama Rao.
"This protest is against the government which is delaying, not opposing. The Congress promised Telangana and I still have belief in my leader and party and also government. So rail roko is not against the government, it is only to hasten the process," said the Congress' Rajya Sabha MP Keshava Rao.
The Telangana Joint Action Committee has, meanwhile, called for bandh on October 17. They also said that the 'rail roko' agitation will continue for three days.
This is undoubtedly a huge embarrassment for the UPA government but in a sense it is also an attempt by the Congress not to allow the political space in the Telangana region to be occupied by the TRS as the sole votary for the people in the region.
Heavy security coupled with the state police chief's warning that stringent action would be taken ensured the number of protesters were far less than during the rail roko last month. There was, however, reports of violence.
While unidentified agitators removed fish-plates and railway track clips in Warangal and Karimnagar districts, a sub-inspector was seriously injured on his head.
The railways operated five Express and seven passenger trains through the Telangana region with full police protection while 35 Multi-Modal Transit System trains were also run in Hyderabad. However, more than 110 trains remained cancelled as a precautionary measure because of the agitation. Another 68 trains were run on diverted routes. The authorities are, however, hoping to resume at least some services with additional security even though the rail roko has been called for three days.
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