TDP T leaders stage protest at Jantar Mantar

Demanding the introduction of a Bill on separate Telangana in Parliament during this winter session, members of the Telangana Telugu Desam Forum on Monday staged a rally at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.

The TDP leaders told media persons that they had sought an appointment with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and All India Congress president Sonia Gandhi. They added that they plan to present a memorandum to the two leaders on the statehood issue.

Senior TDP leader Nagam Janardhan Reddy, addressing the rally, accused the Congress the Telangana Rashtra Samithi of playing games with the sentiments of people from Telangana and demanded an end to this.

Stating that the TDP was not against formation of Telangana, he said nobody can crush the Telangana agitation with force.

He demanded that Congress president Sonia Gandhi make her stand clear on Telangana state.

“If Sonia Gandhi makes her stand clear on Telangana, TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu will also issue a statement in this regard,” Mr Janardhan Reddy stated.

He said that lot of injustice has been done during the rule of Congress to Telangana region.

The senior TDP leader also demanded ex-gratia for the next of kin of all those who sacrificed their lives for the cause of Telangana, apart from employment to the one member of the Martyrs’ families.

Mr Janardhan Reddy also demanded that police cases filed against Telangana protagonists be lifted.

Nearly 1500 workers took part in the rally. Sensing trouble, the police took a few of the leaders into their custody.

The Forum had threatened to stage a dharna in front of Ms Sonia Gandhi's residence if she did not grant its leaders an appointment.