Hyderabad: Going by the elaborate security arrangements in and around the Indira Park, it is clear that the Hyderabad police will leave no stone unturned to thwart Monday’s Opposition-sponsored ‘Chalo Indira Park’ rally demanding reopening of the Dharna Chowk.
Over 1,000 police personnel have been deployed in the radius of the Dharna Chowk right from Sunday morning; barricades have been erected and razor wire protection has been put in place at all the entry points to the park.
Over 20 vehicles have been kept ready in and outside NTR Stadium to shift any activists who try dodging the security cordon and entering the ‘protected’ area on Monday.
Though there was no traffic advisory till Sunday evening, the massive security arrangements mean that the people travelling from RTC Crossroads towards the Lower Tank Bund road are in for a nightmarish experience due to the police blocking the road at the Indira Park Junction.
Meanwhile, a few locals from neighbouring LIC Colony and TRS workers held a small rally on Sunday in the area, defending the government’s decision on closure of Dharna Chowk.
They said that the Opposition parties cannot insist on holding rallies, public meetings and dharnas throughout the year since such activity disturbed their peace.
Kavadiguda TRS corporator G. Lasya Nandita told DC that the local people were not against the Opposition holding dharnas or protests but wanted the protesters to do it at some other place and “not cause inconvenience” to them.
“People have come and represented the issue to me several times. We are only against Dharna Chowk being located at Indira Park. There are several residential colonies, hospitals, educational institutions in the area. Protests here are quite inconvenient for the people,” she said.
However, Indira Park Walkers Association president Dr A. Sudhakar Yadav, said that the association was only interested in development of the park and would not comment on the political issues that take place outside.
He also said the walkers association would not comment either on demand to retain the Dharna Chowk there or close it permanently to restore peace to the area.
“Ours is the largest association, with about 5,600 members. There are walkers with different political affiliations, including me, hence we have decided not to comment,” Dr Yadav said.
Dharna Chowk gives parties a common goal
For the first time in the three years of TRS rule, almost all Opposition parties, under the banner of Dharna Chowk Protection Committee, will come together on Monday to participate in the “Chalo Indira Park” rally.
The showdown between the Opposition and the ruling parties will see the former trying to lay siege to the park and hold a public meeting there at 11 am.
In the backdrop of the Hyderabad police making preparations for a major crackdown and possible preventive arrests, several TJAC activists, who will lead the protest, went underground on Sunday and were not reachable.
Congress, TD, BJP, CPI, CPM and other Leftist parties, people’s organisations and human rights activists have decided to participate in the protest rally demanding revival of the Dharna Chowk that has been closed for the last two months.
The police has stopped giving permissions to individuals, organisations and political parties to hold any kind of protest or fast on the Indira Park road.
This is a first-of-its-kind situation, where the entire Opposition has come under one umbrella to protest against the government decision not to allow any protest activity at the Dharna Chowk at Indira Park.
Meanwhile, members of the Dharna Chowk Protection Committee on Sunday appealed to the people of Telangana to join them and lay siege to the Indira Park on Monday. “Help us teach a lesson to the state government that has been suppressing democratic dissent in the state for the last few years,” the committee members said.
The committee members held a meeting at Maqdoom Bhavan in Himayatnagar on Sunday where various strategies to reach Indira Park were discussed. Prof. Haragopal, who participated in the meeting, said that Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao should know that the massive agitation for a separate Telangana state started from Indira Park. He reminded that even the TRS had several times staged protests during the statehood movement from the area.
Prof. Haragopal said that the people will not tolerate suppression of human rights and dissent without valid reason.
Dharna Chowk gives parties a common goal
For the first time in the three years of TRS rule, almost all Opposition parties, under the banner of Dharna Chowk Protection Committee, will come together on Monday to participate in the “Chalo Indira Park” rally.
The showdown between the Opposition and the ruling parties will see the former trying to lay siege to the park and hold a public meeting there at 11 am.
In the backdrop of the Hyderabad police making preparations for a major crackdown and possible preventive arrests, several TJAC activists, who will lead the protest, went underground on Sunday and were not reachable.
Congress, TD, BJP, CPI, CPM and other Leftist parties, people’s organisations and human rights activists have decided to participate in the protest rally demanding revival of the Dharna Chowk that has been closed for the last two months.
The police has stopped giving permissions to individuals, organisations and political parties to hold any kind of protest or fast on the Indira Park road.
This is a first-of-its-kind situation, where the entire Opposition has come under one umbrella to protest against the government decision not to allow any protest activity at the Dharna Chowk at Indira Park.
Meanwhile, members of the Dharna Chowk Protection Committee on Sunday appealed to the people of Telangana to join them and lay siege to the Indira Park on Monday. “Help us teach a lesson to the state government that has been suppressing democratic dissent in the state for the last few years,” the committee members said.
The committee members held a meeting at Maqdoom Bhavan in Himayatnagar on Sunday where various strategies to reach Indira Park were discussed. Prof. Haragopal, who participated in the meeting, said that Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao should know that the massive agitation for a separate Telangana state started from Indira Park. He reminded that even the TRS had several times staged protests during the statehood movement from the area.
Prof. Haragopal said that the people will not tolerate suppression of human rights and dissent without valid reason.
