Telangana govt suppressing dissent, says TJAC chief Kodandaram ahead of public meet

Telangana Joint Action Committee (TJAC) chairman Professor M Kodandaram lashed out at the TRS government on Thursday and said that it was suppressing dissent.

Speaking to media persons, Kodandaram said, “This government has targeted people of the state and me for fighting for the people of the state...This government is no different from the Andhra government it fought during separate Telangana movement. This government is giving same reasons such as law and order restrained it to accord permission for meetings and rallies."

He also said that his rights of freedom of speech and expression, conferred by the Constitution under Article 19, cannot be taken away by any government. 

Kodandaram was in Warangal as part of his preparations for his upcoming public meeting to be held in Hyderabad on October 31. 

The TJAC has planned to have a huge gathering in Hyderabad on October 31 titled ‘Koluvulakai Kotlaata’ (fight for jobs), to discuss unemployment, which is a major crisis in the state.

"Since the government is not giving us a concrete reason for denial of permission for our public meeting, we were forced to move court. The High Court will take a decision on Monday. It is wrong to reject permission citing law and order though the TJAC has given an assurance that the meeting would be peaceful,” Kodandaram was quoted as saying.

Irked at the Telangana police’s decision to deny permission to the TJAC's proposed ‘Koluvulakai Kotlaata’ meeting, Kodandaram had moved the Hyderabad High Court on Wednesday.

This also comes after the TJAC was denied permission from the state police for organizing a ‘Amarula Sphoorti Yatra’ (Telangana Martyrs Inspiration Yatra) earlier this month.

It must be recalled that a similar meeting planned by the TJAC earlier in February, under the banner Telangana Unemployed Students JAC was also cancelled, after the police had denied him permission.

Despite Kodandram’s undertaking that the protest rally would not disturb the law and order of the state, police still denied to give permission to the TJAC.