Date:27/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/27/stories/2008112751360300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

KCR to file plea on road shows’ ban

Staff Reporter

State government accused of throttling Opposition’s voice

An alternative could have been devised in place of total ban: KCR
TRS chief sore over police treatment in suspending his road show

ADILABAD: The Telangana Rashtra Samiti president K. Chandrashekhar Rao on Wednesday said, his party will file a review petition on the ban order on political road shows in the State. He accused the State government of throttling the voice of Opposition by getting the interim orders from the High Court banning political road shows. The concurrence of the Advocate General on the issue and the hailing of the order by Congress spokesman Thulasi Reddy constituted enough evidence on the allegation, he pointed out. Mr. Rao however, avowed respect for the judiciary saying, that his party would follow its orders.

Mr. Rao opined that alternative measures to lessen inconvenience for the common public could have be devised instead of a complete ban on road shows. “How can the Opposition put forth its point of view on important matters if such meetings are banned,” he lamented.

At a press meet organised by the Andhra Pradesh Union of Working Journalists in Mancherial town where Mr. Chandrashekhar Rao had stayed for the night after abandoning his road shows midway, during the bus yatra, the TRS chief criticised the police for the manner in which he was asked to suspend the shows.

He said, had he known of the order passed by the High Court, the road shows would have been suspended forthwith.

Future tie-ups

On the issue of future alliances, the TRS president said he will ally with all those parties who stood for the cause of a separate Telangana. He criticised the Congress for going back on its word on formation of a separate State.