'T State Will Give a Us a Life of Self-Respect'

by JR Prasad

Hyderabad: K Yadagriri, an auto driver from Manyamchalka in Nalgonda
town, came to Hyderabad with his wife, 10-year old daughter and
eight-year old son only to take part in the Telangana March, that was
held at Necklace Road here on Sunday.
Yadagiri and his family members participated in the demonstration with
much enthusiasm to extend their support for a separate Telangana
state.
"We, citizens of Telangana region, are facing discrimination on every
aspect. Though we belong to this very land, we are deprived of our
constitutional rights. For instance, several of my brothers from
Telangana, who started to Hyderabad to participate in the march, were
illegally detained by the police. Is it fair for the government to
suppress our rights? Separate state will give us an opportunity to
enjoy our constitutional rights and pave a way to live with
self-respect," he said.
Like Yadagiri, people from all walks of life from Telangana region
came to Necklace Road along with their family to participate in the
historical march and express their aspirations for a separate state.
Farmers, teachers, lawyers, doctors, APSRTC employees, Singareni
workers and students turned out in large numbers for the march.
As  police created hurdles for the mass mobilisation of people in
buses and lorries, several supporters came by two-wheelers to the
march venue.
With the Telangana protagonists taking out rallies to reach the venue
on the bank of Hussain Sagar lake, all roads leading to the lake were
crowded with people on Sunday evening. The surroundings of the lake
reverberated with the slogans of 'Jai Telangana'.
The sight of police personnel at Necklace Road infuriated some
students, who tried to abuse the state government and the police for
the illegal detention of Telangana supporters from across the region.
Though police fired teargas shells, thousands of separate state
supporters did not budge from the venue, displaying their
determination to achieve Telangana statehood.
Another example of burning desire among people of Telangana for a
separate state was the presence of E Pochaiah, a physically challenged
person, in the march. Pochaiah, a daily wage labourer, came all the
way from Ellanthakunta in Karimnagar district to participate in the
march despite having polio-affected legs. Pochaiah walked on crutches
from Khairathabad to the venue, which is almost 4-km away.
Apart from TRS and BJP, various organisations of students, employees
and lawyers took out rallies from various places in Hyderabad to join
the march.
Telangana activist Rahimunnisa Begum, a native of Siricilla, who stood
atop a jeep and showed her sandal to YSRCP honorary president YS
Vijayalakshmi during latter's visit to Telangana region recently,
received a heroic welcome at the venue when she led a group of women
supporters to the march.
While taking out rallies, Telangana supporters condemned what they
called the government's conspiracy to foil the march by cancelling
trains and buses from various parts of Telangana to Hyderabad. Some of
them hurled choicest abuses at the Congress and Centre for not
according statehood to their region.