Govt to draw PM's attention to lathicharge on TDP actvists

Hyderabad, Apr 10 (UNI) Alleging that the Maharashtra government was committing an ''unpardonable sin'' by ''illegally'' constructing the Babli project across the river Godavari, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy today said he would draw Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's attention to the lathicharge on TDP activists, who tried to visit the project site today.

Extending moral support to the Uttara Telangana bandh called by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) to protest against the Maharashtra government's alleged adamant attitude, the Chief Minister told reporters here that his government was exerting pressure on the Centre and was taking legal steps to stop Maharashtra from going ahead with the ''illegal project''.

Maintaining that his Maharashtra counterpart Vilasrao Deshmukh had gone back on his promise that the project would not be undertaken till the issue was settled with Andhra Pradesh, the Chief Minister ruled out any scope for talks with Maharashtra on the issue in the present situation.

The lathicharge by the Maharashtra police on TDP activists should be vehemently condemned, he said.

He condemned the Maharashtra government for denying permission to state Minor Irrigation Minister Ponnala Laxmaiah to visit the project site.

UNI