Hyderabad:
K Chandrasekhar Rao, who has resumed his hunger strike after a controversial break for a glass of juice on Monday, has been moved to a hospital in Hyderabad from Khammam.
Rao, or KCR, as he's known, is the chief of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS), and is leading the campaign for a separate state of Telangana. Over the weekend, he began an indefinite fast, but was seen drinking juice on Monday evening. That led to angry protests among his supporters, and prompted KCR to go hungry again.
Telangana ideologue Prof Jayashankar told NDTV that KCR is very weak but is adamant about continuing with his fast. Jayashankar said he has been administered saline 3-4 times by force by the hospital authorities.
After a week of violence, provoked largely by KCR's fast, Thursday was a quiet day for Telangana. But all colleges have been closed till December 14 as a preventive measure. On Monday, TRS workers and student groups at Hyderabad's Osmania University, among other colleges, set several vehicles on fire. But were Maoists involved as well? The police are worried that Naxals have infiltrated the Telangana movement, using this to move from rural Andhra to urban pockets like Hyderabad, Warangal and Karimnagar.
Intelligence agencies say the Maoists are using the Telangana movement to instigate violence. Politicians admit there's cause for concern. "When there is a movement and activities like these happen, infiltration will take place. They could be Maoists or other extremists also," shares D Srinivas, Congress President.
Five years ago, when Naxals were creating havoc, news of hit squads trailing VIPs used to send shivers in Andhra towns. There are fears now that Maoists are working towards regaining that sort of control and power.