Hyderabad:
Hyderabad Police on Wednesday arrested dozens of leaders and activists of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) when they tried to stage protests against each other over the Telangana issue.
Tension prevailed at the Telangana martyrs' memorial at Gun Park near state assembly when Telangana Rashtra Samithi leaders and activists reached there to launch a fast ahead of a similar protest by Telugu Desam Party leaders.
Condemning some insulting remarks purportedly made by Telugu Desam Party legislator M. Narasimhulu about Telangana martyrs, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi leaders washed the memorial with milk and sat on a fast.
Apprehending law and order problem, police arrested them and shifted them to a police station.
An hour later, Narasimhulu, along with his supporters, tried to reach Gun Park to launch a two-day fast to condemn Telangana Rashtra Samithi's attempts to disrupt Telugu Desam Party chief N. Chandrababu Naidu's ongoing visit in the Telangana region. Police arrested the Telugu Desam Party leader and his followers as a precautionary measure.
Some protestors who managed to reach Gun Park were also taken into custody by the police.
The arrests took place amid a war of words between the two parties. Narasimhulu had caused a flutter Dec 23 when he reached Gun Park with a rope and challenged Telangana Rashtra Samithi chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao to commit suicide along with him. Police had arrested the Telugu Desam Party leader.
Telugu Desam Party leaders from Telangana are targeting Chandrasekhara Rao and accusing him of having a secret understanding with the ruling Congress to dilute agitation for a separate Telangana state.
Telangana Rashtra Samithi, on the other hand, described Telugu Desam Party as the main hurdle in formation of a separate state. The party has been staging protests during Naidu's visit to Telangana, saying he has no moral right to visit the region after opposing separate statehood.