Attack on minister: Bandh ends in clashes

Medak, Jan 24 (UNI) Tension prevailed as the Congress and Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) members involved in clashes as the district Bandh called by the ruling Congress in protest against attack on Andhra Pradesh Cooperation Minister Mahammad Fariduddin turned violent here today.

Vehicular traffic to Karnataka was disrupted for some time as ruling Congressmen halted traffic in Zahirabad and Sanga Reddy.

The minister was forced to cancel the launching of the fourth phase of the land distribution programme following stoning by the TRS activists, police said.

Police resorted to mild caning to disperse clashing TRS and Congress workers.

Angry Congress activists burnt an effigy of TRS President K Chandrasekara Rao, even as TRS activists conducted a ''mock funeral'' for Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy for allegedly creating hurdles for creation of separate Telangana state.

Backward Caste Welfare Minister Mukesh Goud felt that the all-round development witnessed in the backward Telangana region would suffer in the event of bifurcation.

School Education Minister C Damodar Rajanrasimha alleged that the TRS Chief was only promoting his kith and kin in politics and had no concern for the region's development.

The TRS President said his party wanted to achieve Telangana only through peaceful means. It was the ruling Congress which was instigating violence, he charged.

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