Hyderabad: After the IT Minister, K.T Rama Rao, was gheraoed in Kothagudem three days ago, police have been taking precautions for the programmes the minister is set to attend. On Friday, Malkajgiri police detained 15 persons belonging to various opposition parties, hours before the minister was supposed to inaugurate a road under bridge there. Police officials said that the arrests had no connection with the incident at Kothagudem, but was a preventive measure after the opposition party’s announcement that they would protest and disrupt the minister’s programmes.
Meanwhile, due to the huge crowds gathered at the venue, Mr Rama Rao could not reach the dias and had to address the crowds from the footboard of his vehicle. On Friday, the minister came to Malkajgiri to inaugurate the construction of a four-lane RUB at Uttam Nagar, built at a cost of Rs 29.59 crores. In the early hours of the same day, the Malkajgiri police began preventive arrests. Around 15 individuals belonging to both Congress and BJP parties were picked up and shifted to Malkajgiri police station where they were confined till the minister’s programmes were completed and he left the area.
After being released, BJP members staged a dharna in front of the police station condemning the police action and the dictatorial rule of the government. BJP President of Medchal Malkajgiri district, M. Kantha Rao, said they had welcomed the development works and wanted to join the minister and greet him for the good works, but the government had arrested them without any cause. “This shows their attitude. We have not given any protest call, but still we were illegally arrested. We demand an answer from the government,” demanded Kantha Rao.
Police officials stated that BJP and Congress members had already announced that they would disrupt the programmes and it was consequently that they had been picked up and later released. A case under section 151 CrPC was booked for investigation. Earlier on Tuesday, students of the University College of Engineering gheraoed the Minister for the state government's negligent attitude towards their issues.
