A bandh was being observed in the district headquarters town of Kamareddy in Telangana on Friday as per a call given by local farmers who have been protesting against alleged inclusion of their agricultural lands in industrial zone in a draft masterplan for the town. Shops and other commercial establishments remained closed as part of the shutdown.
A police official told PTI that the situation was peaceful and security arrangements have been made. The opposition BJP and the Congress have extended support to the bandh. State BJP president and MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar and other party leaders would visit Kamareddy on Friday, a BJP release said.
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Kumar would meet the family members of a farmer who allegedly committed suicide on Wednesday reportedly fearing loss of his land. However, police said the farmer took the extreme step due to personal reasons. Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president A Revanth Reddy has deputed two party teams to visit Kamareddy.
A large number of people, including farmers, held a protest in front of the Collector's office at Kamareddy on Thursday against the draft masterplan. The protesters, who asserted that they are not ready to part with their agriculture land, remained seated in front of the Collector's office for several hours.
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The agitators tried to remove the barricades put up near the Collector's office and a few of them were seen climbing the gate. No force has been used by the police against them, a police official had said. State Municipal Administration Minister K T Rama Rao, who addressed a meeting of municipal officials in Hyderabad on Thursday, talked about the Kamareddy issue and said the government's endeavour is to serve the people effectively.
Observing that the masterplan was still being drafted, he had suggested the authorities need to sensitise people that the plan can be changed as per people's opinion. Rama Rao had directed the municipal officials to listen to any objections from people during the preparation of the masterplans.
