Govt lifts all cases against students

The Kiran Kumar Reddy government has at last on Tuesday decided to withdraw all the cases filed against the students who participated in the Telangana agitation.

At a crowded press conference at the Secretariat, Home Minister P Sabitha Reddy announced the government's intention in principle to lift all the cases framed against the students during separate Telangana and United Andhra Pradesh agitation recently.

The government was of the view that students who were involved and against whom cases were framed should not suffer due to acts committed in moments of emotional stress, anger or anguish. The government also underscore the need to ensure a golden future for the students.

Following the pressure mounted by the opposition and other sections the government yielded to their demand.

Earlier on the Floor of the House, the Home Minister had announced that as many as 565 cases involving 2436 persons were withdrawn. Further 136 more cases involving 846 persons were lifted on Monday.

The remaining cases 1667 involving 8047 persons are to be lifted in stages.

Stating that the future of the students was involved and considering the pressure from the opposition also, the Home Minister informed that Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy has agreed in principle to lift all the cases against the students who were involved in the 'Telangana' stir.

The Chief Minister is also understood to have appealed to all the sections opposition, MPs, MLAs, and MLCs to cooperate with the government to maintain peace and law and order.

He also appealed to the striking MPs to call off their Satyagraha, which was started on December 27, and cooperate with the government to maintain peace and harmony.