Anti-Telangana agitators lay siege to union minister`s house

Guntur: Anti-Telangana agitators laid seige to the residence of Union Minister of State for Finance J D Seelam at Brindavan Gardens in Guntur on Wednesday.

Since the minister is away in New Delhi, they squatted on the road, shouting slogans demanding his resignation from Parliament. Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh NGO members stormed central government offices here and appealed to the central government staff to support the demand to "preserve" the "unity" of Andhra Pradesh. Managements of an educational group, which runs three engineering colleges, degree colleges, a junior college and high schools, compelled teachers and students to take part in rallies as well as human chain protests and even provided transport to protestors. On condition of anonymity, a teacher told PTI that fearing the wrath of the management, they had unwillingly participated in the agitation. Guntur East Congress MLA Masthan Valli offered to have his head tonsured if it could be disproved that Telugu Desam Party (TDP) did not give a letter to the central government supporting the demand for a separate Telangana state. "It is a collective decision of Congress, TDP, BJP, CPI and Loksatta Party," he said and objected to placing the blame squarely on Congress party. PTI