The Hyderabad High Court on Monday pulled up the Telangana government and asked it to grant permission to the Telangana Joint Action Committee (TJAC) to conduct a public meeting at Saroornagar Stadium, for the launch of the Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS) on April 29.
The court was hearing a petition by TJAC chief Kodandaram, who had alleged that the police and state machinery was intentionally denying permission to his party.
The state government's counsel argued that the stadium could not accommodate the number of people that were expected to arrive for the event and told the court that they would grant permission if a fresh application was made.
TJAC's counsel, B Rachna Reddy, argued that a similar meet had been held in the past and the venue comfortable accommodated several thousand people.
The TJS is scheduled to hold a public meeting on April 29, to mark the party’s launch. While it applied for permission in the Saroornagar Stadium, NTR stadium and LB Nagar stadium, it alleged that the police were not granting permission to the party.
Last week, dubbing Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao a 'dictator', Kodandaram pointed that a cinema function was allowed to be held at the LB Stadium, but his meeting was denied permission.
"The way the TRS government is refusing to give permission to hold any meeting by the Opposition in the city creates doubts among all whether we are living in a democracy or a dictatorship. The government is citing lame reasons for denying permission. They say our meeting will create pollution and traffic issues. In that case, how come a cinema function was allowed in LB Stadium. Did that not create pollution and traffic issues? We have every right to hold the meeting and decide the venue of the meeting," Kodandaram told reporters last week.
Kodandaram has said that he would contest in the 2019 elections and said that the TJS will be formally launched on April 29, where the party will demonstrate its strength.