Hyderabad: Probably for the first time in recent years, the Hyderabad police allowed TPCC president A. Revanth Reddy and senior party leaders and cadre to stage a protest in the city. The police also imposed traffic restrictions at the venue minutes before the protest began to avoid traffic snarls on Monday.
The Congress leaders were protesting the summons issued to party leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandh by the Enforcement Directorate.
Speculation was rife that the government had allowed the Congress to hold the protest to prevent any law and order situation at a time when the TRS was seeking to go national.
Saifabad assistant commissioner of police (ACP) C. Venu Gopala Reddy, who monitored the situation at the ED office here, said that they had given permission to TPCC leaders for the protest and had taken measures to prevent untoward incidents. There were no arrests, unlike previous times when scores of Congress leaders, including Revanth Reddy, and activists were taken into custody before they reached the protest venue.
Security was strengthened at the ED office in Basheerbagh, the venue of the protest, and the road was closed for more than three hours.
TPCC leaders succeeded in mobilising crowds and hundreds of activists were squatting in front of the ED office and shouting slogans against the BJP and in support of Rahul Gandhi.
This was in stark contrast to the scene during the recent protests over paddy procurement. When Revanth Reddy and the Congress cadre took to the streets, they were promptly arrested. Revanth Reddy had alleged at that time that the TRS government was arresting Congress leaders for staging protests against the BJP government at the Centre.
Sources said senior police officers were allegedly given instructions to ensure the smooth conduct of TPCC's protest.
Meanwhile, the traffic movement at Assembly junction, Police Control Room, Lakdikapul and other places was badly affected for a couple of hours. Where possible, traffic police directed vehicles through alternative routes.
Congress leaders quotes
The BJP at the Centre has started harassing Congress leaders and Gandhi family members by registering fake cases. The Nehru-Gandhi family had fought for freedom and were jailed by the British. Before Rahul Gandhi’s tour of the nation, the BJP is trying to humiliate him.
Mallu Batti Vikramarka, CLP leader
The Congress has gained people's sympathy by fighting against the anti-people policies being implemented by the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre. Unable to bear the Congress getting mileage, the BJP has started harassing the Gandhi family members.
D. Sridhar Babu
