BJP bandh evokes poor response

Hyderabad, Mar 14: The bandh call given by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Telangana region to protest the delay in forming a separate Telangana State evoked poor response today. The BJP also demanded a statement on Telangana by UPA Chairperson and AICC President Sonia Gandhi, who was on a day's whirlwind visit to the State today.

Barring a few minor incidents like road blockades and obstructing vehicular movement, the bandh call did not have much impact so far. Buses, autorickshaws and private vehicles were plying as usual. Government offices, hotels and other business establishments were functioning normally.

Reports said the BJP cadres were forcibly closing business establishments in various districts of the Telangana region. They were also trying to obstruct the movement of APSRTC bus services and damaging the windscreens of a few buses.

BJP National Secretary N Indrasena Reddy and party workers were taken into custody when they tried to obstruct vehicular movement in Dilsukhnagar. Police have made elaborate security arrangements to maintain law and order.

However, the second year intermediate public examination and vocational courses examinations, scheduled to be held here today, had been postponed to Sunday in the State in view of the bandh.

UNI