Cong T ministers fall in line, hoist Tricolour

In fact, two ministers, Basavaraj Saraiah and Ponnala Lashmaiah, were present at the meeting of the steering committee of the Telangana Congress leaders on Sunday when the decision was taken to boycott all official events including Parliamentary proceedings till the Centre made a positive statement on Telangana.

Home minister P Sabita Indira Reddy hoisted the national flag in Ranga Reddy district while major industries minister J Geeta Reddy attended the flag hoisting function in Sanga Reddy. Among the other ministers who officially participated in the 65th Independence Day celebrations were civil supplies minister D Sridhar Babu (Karimnagar), D K Aruna (Mahbubnagar), R Venkata Reddy (Khammam), Komatireddy Venkata Reddy (Nalgonda), Basavaraju Saraiah (Adilabad), Ponnala Lakshmaiah (Warangal) and K Sudarshan Reddy (Nizamabad).

In Adilabad, when Basavaraju Saraiah arrived to participate in the government function as a minister, several TRS workers led by local MLA J Ramanna gheraoed him. Some members even pelted eggs at the minister for having violated his own decision. Later, Saraiah attended the function amid tight security after the TRS MLA and his followers were arrested. Similar fracas was reportedly averted by the police when Sridhar Babu arrived at the Parade Ground in Karimnagar for the I-Day event. At other Telangana districts too, the ministers had to attend the official function with the help of police cover.

At many places, a tricolour with a map of Telangana embedded on it was hoisted by senior Congress leaders along with the national flag. In Karimnagar, former minister J Ratnakar Rao hoisted the Telangana flag.

In Hyderabad, led by Rajya Sabha member K Keshava Rao, about 100 Congress leaders that included MP Manda Jagannataham, G Vivekananad, former minister J Krishnarao etc tried to hoist the Telangana flag along with the national flag at the Telangana martyrs memorial near state Assembly. But the police did not allow the unfurling of both.

Enraged at the police intervention, convener of Telangana Congress steering committee K Kesava Rao, demanded action against those responsible. “Whoever scuttled our flag hoisting are criminals,” Rao said.

MPs Manda Jagannatham and G Vivek said their protest would continue until Telangana becomes the 29th state in India.

Many consider the participation of ministers in the Independence Day celebration in their official capacity as the first to step towards resuming their ministerial duties. The ministers had stopped attending the offices since they submitted their resignations. Already, the ministers are clearing the files from home to avoid incurring the wrath of the people.

In this backdrop, sources said all the Telangana ministers would attend the cabinet meeting on Tuesday. To facilitate their presence, the venue has been shifted from the Secretariat to the chief minister’s camp office.

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7. T MPs obstructed from hoisting flag at Telangana memorial
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