Minister denies police high-handedness in Narsipatnam incident

Hyderabad, Mar 5 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Home Minister K Jana Reddy today asserted that the police had not acted in a ''high-handed'' manner against Narsipatnam TDP MLA Ch Ayyanna Patrudu on February 24.

Making a statement in the State Assembly, the Minister said when the TDP MLA obstructed the convoy of Commercial Taxes Minister K Ramakrishna, police exercised maximum restraint and cleared the way after repeated requests ''by physically lifting the MLA and his followers, enabling the Minister's convoy to proceed''.

Submitting to the Speaker a compact disc on the incident, he urged Mr Patrudu, who had submitted his resignation, to take back his resignation and return to the House.

Giving his version, Mr Ramakrishna said police should have filed a case against the TDP MLA for ''insulting'' local officials during the Indiramma housing committee meeting.

The Congress workers, along with Left party cadres, had been lathi charged and jailed during the previous TDP regime on several occasions, including during the anti-power tariff hike stir, he recalled.

Referring to the detention of Leader of the Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu in Delhi for taking part in a UNPA dharna, Mr Ramakrishna said Mr Naidu had not submitted his resignation.

Earlier, members of the Opposition parties, cutting across party lines, demanded that the Government suspend the police personnel concerned and that the Speaker talk to the TDP member and ensure that he returned to the House.

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