Hyderabad: Hyderabad Police on Sunday said they have not permitted Congress MP from Vijaywada L Rajagopal to go on hunger strike in Hyderabad and leaders of his own party from the Telangana region demanded his arrest.
Police arrested at least seven followers of the Vijayawada MP while they were coming to the city a day ahead of his hunger strike to protest the proposed bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.
Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) A R Anuradha told reporters that no permission has been given to stage the hunger strike in the city. "We are collecting information and will take appropriate action," she said.
The police also appealed to people to inform them of any suspicious movement of people in the city.
Police have clamped prohibitory orders, barring any gathering of more than four persons, as a precautionary measure in view of Rajagopal's plans to go on fast in front of the state assembly building.
Rajagopal has submitted his resignation to the Lok Sabha Speaker to protest the Central government's decision to initiate the process for granting separate statehood to Telangana.
Senior Congress leader and former minister P. Goverdhan Reddy demanded that the MP be arrested on his arrival in Hyderabad. He warned of bloodshed if Rajagaopal undertook a fast in Hyderabad.
Talking to reporters, Goverdhan Reddy alleged that the industrialist MP was bringing hired goons from Vijayawada to create disturbances in Hyderabad.
"He made crores of rupees in Hyderabad and is now using the same money for blackmail," said Goverdhan Reddy.
Congress leader and former minister Jeevan Reddy also alleged Rajagopal wanted to provoke people of Telangana and said nobody could stop the formation of Telangana state.
Another former minister and legislator, R Damodar Reddy took exception to the MP's remark about Hyderabad and said he was not aware of the city's history.
"Hyderabad will be the capital of Telangana state," he said and hoped that Congress president Sonia Gandhi would carve out the separate state either through a resolution in the assembly or through a bill in parliament.
Groups fighting for separate statehood for the Telangana region have also warned Rajagopal against launching hunger strike in Hyderabad. He could do so in Vijayawada or some other part of Andhra or Rayalaseema, they said.
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