Hyderabad:
The Jasmine Revolution's effect is not limited to large parts of the Arab world. Pro-Telangana parties, inspired by the protests in Egypt that forced the exit of Hosni Mubarak, had called for their own march of millions in Hyderabad on Thursday. The aim is to pressure the government to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh and create a new Telangana state.
However, schools and parents pointed out that the protest would affect students who are in the middle of their Class 11 and Class 12 intermediate English exams. So the march was shortened by its organizers to a three-hour affair, starting at 1 pm.
"The government is trying to use the exams on the 10th to ask us to postpone and put pressure on us and to deny permissions. Therefore, we have slightly modified our own programme. Instead of blocking the roads, we have decided to march on to the Tankbund and also start it at 1 pm because by then exams will be over,'' explained Kodandaram, the Convenor of the Telangana Joint Action committee.
The local police does not see that as an acceptable compromise.
"The Hyderabad city police will not be in a position to allow this programme to go on," said A K Khan, the Commissioner of the Hyderabad police.
"ICSE Exams will be affected because the morning session examination will be on when the programme starts, and the evening exam session will be severely affected," he added.
To prevent the city and students from being held hostage by the demonstration, the police is likely to restrict the number of people allowed to travel into Hyderabad from Telangana districts.