Telangana files appeal to stop BJP yatra

Hyderabad: A day after the Telangana High Court’s order, state BJP chief Bandi Sanjay on Friday resumed his Praja Sangrama Yatra in Jangaon district even as the state government has filed an appeal in the court to stop the padyatra.

A single-judge bench on Thursday suspended a police order directing the BJP to immediately stop the padyatra.

The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government has filed an appeal against the single-judge bench’s order. The government argues that continuation of padyatra may result in breach of peace. It has sought immediate hearing of the appeal.

Meanwhile, after a gap of three days, Sanjay resumed the padyatra in Station Ghanpur constituency. He was accompanied by a large number of BJP workers and supporters.

He resumed the yatra in Jangaon district where it was stopped following his arrest on Tuesday.

The high court suspended the notice issued by Wardhannapet ACP asking the BJP to stop the padyatra immediately in view of the tension situation in Jangaon district.

The ACP stated that there is no permission for the yatra in the district and warned the leaders that if they continue padyatra legal action will be taken.

The BJP had challenged the notice in the court, which struck it down terming it unconstitutional.

Police had stated in the notice that in the name of padyatra the BJP leaders were making provocative statements.

The police officer also noted that in the name of Dharma Deeksha a large number of party workers were being mobilised from other districts.

“In view of your provocative statements and planned Deeksha with huge gatherings from other districts, there is apprehension of breach of peace in the area resulting in serious law and order problems,” reads the notice.

Sanjay was arrested on Tuesday when he was preparing to sit on protest against the police action taken against BJP workers in Hyderabad on Monday for staging a protest at the house of TRS MLC K. Kavitha over her alleged involvement in Delhi liquor scam.

Sanjay, who is also a Member of Parliament from Karimnagar, was shifted to Karimnagar. He, however, has been kept under house arrest.

Reacting to Thursday’s court order, Sanjay said the government failed again in its attempt to stop the padyatra.

The padyatra will conclude in Warangal on August 27 with a public meeting which will be addressed by BJP’s national president J. P. Nadda.

Sanjay had launched the third phase of padyatra on August 2 to highlight what he calls the failures of the TRS government.

The third phase of yatra is scheduled to cover 325 km in five districts – Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri, Nalgonda, Jangaon, Hamankonda and Warangal