Karimnagar (AP): Condemning arrest of MPs and public representatives in connection with the `rail roko` protests, senior Congress leader Keshava Rao on Sunday said the Andhra Pradesh Government cannot "suppress" the Telangana movement.
Referring to the arrests of MPs Ponnam Prabhakar among others, Rao told reporters in front of the District Jail that the government may create hurdles in separate statehood movement but can not suppress it. "If the government intends to create hurdles in the movement, it will turn into a revolution," he said.
"It is shameful to the party (Congress) to put its own partymen in jail," Rao said.
"Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy is trying to dilute the Telangana agitation and if he does so, it will turn into a revolution," he said.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Komatireddy Venkat Reddy has expressed his willingness to quit the party over Telangana issue if Congress fails to respond.
"Chief Minister is terrorising Telangana agitators by registering non-bailable offences against them," he alleged.
MPs Gutha Sukhender Reddy, Gudisela Vivek and Mandha Jagannatham also accompanied Rao demanding the state government to withdraw the cases against the agitators.
After a major showdown yesterday, many separate state votaries, including Congress MPs Ponnam Prabahakar and S Rajaiah, were arrested and sent to jail.
Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) MLA Harish Rao was also sent to jail for two weeks. Cases under the Railway Protection Act and under section 151 (knowingly joining or continuing in assembly of five or more persons after it has been commanded to disperse) and section 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of IPC were also booked against hundreds of protesters. PTI