Hyderabad, May 28 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh will see two shut downs Saturday, one by supporters of Congress MP Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy over his detention and another by Telangana supporters to condemn the firing by Reddy’s followers on an activist who suffered critical injuries.
The shutdown by Reddy’s supporters has been called in Kadapa district over their leader being taken into preventive custody Friday while he was on his way to a rally in Warangal in the Telangana regions.
The planned rally led to widespread violence in Warangal district as Reddy’s supporters clashed with those supporting the demand for statehood to Telangana. Reddy is opposed to the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.
A Telangana activist was critically injured near Mahbubabad railway station in Warangal district when Reddy’s supporters allegedly fired at the crowd gathered to prevent the Congress MP’s entry. Police also fired to quell the violence.
To condemn the firing on the supporter, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) have called for a Telangana shutdown.
Reddy has planned a state-wide tour to console the families of those who committed suicide or died of shock following the death of his chief minister father Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy in a helicopter crash last year.
While Reddy has been escorted back to Hyderabad by police, the Kadapa shutdown is being organised by the district Congress committee.
Visakhapatnam, Krishna, Guntur, Anantapur, Chittoor and Kadapa districts in Andhra region of the state Friday saw widespread protests by Reddy’s followers following his detention.
Telangana political parties joint action committee convener M. Kodandaram said the Telangana bandh Saturday was against the firing on the Telangana activist.
Students’ Joint Action Committees of Osmania University and Kakatiya University, which are in the Telangana region, have extended support to the shutdown.
Telangana activists also held demonstrations and burnt effigies of Reddy at Osmania University and in Karimnagar, Warangal, Nalgonda and Nizamabad districts in Telangana.
