Telangana people forgive me for committing “the sin of being a part of TRS”: D. Ravindra Naik, Ex M.P. 

Ravindra Naik lodged complaint against the TRS leadership invoking provisions of SCs and STs

Former TRS MP D. Ravindra Naik bodily lifted by TRS men at the Telangana Bhavan on Monday.  ( PHOTO: P.V. SIVAKUMAR) (With thanks from "The Hindu")

HYDERABAD, June 15, 2009 (special Correspondent): High drama was witnessed at the Telangana Bhavan here on Monday when angry workers of Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) necked out former MP of Warangal, D. Ravindra Naik, to prevent him from attending an emergency meeting of the party’s executive committee on Monday.

A prominent rebel leader of TRS, who is among a dozen leaders who have raised the banner of revolt against party president K. Chandrasekhar Rao, after the recent election debacle, Mr. Naik, a Lambada, lodged a complaint against the TRS leadership invoking provisions of SCs and STs (Prevention of Atrocities Act) in the Banjara Hills police station. In retaliation, TRS leaders filed a separate complaint accusing him of abusing them by caste name. Trouble broke out in the party headquarters shortly after the emergency meeting began around noon when Mr. Naik walked in to participate in the proceedings without an invitation from the party. Though he was stopped at the gate, Mr. Naik managed to go near the meeting hall where he was cornered by a group.

He took the party workers by surprise by raising pro-Telangana and pro-KCR slogans. One of them even chaired him on his shoulder. The workers tried to persuade him to return stating that his resignation had been accepted. Mr. Naik had, in an open letter, challenged KCR to reply to questions raised by the former or else treat it as his resignation letter.

As Mr. Naik insisted on attending the meeting on the ground that it was convened as a follow-up to his letter, the workers pushed him up to the gate where he took his car to proceed to the house of a former TRS Minister A. Chandrasekhar who was expelled from the party only Sunday night. Emerging from Mr. Chandrasekhar’s house with a torn shirt, Mr. Naik rubbed his nose on the floor seeking forgiveness from the people of Telangana for committing “the sin of being a part of TRS”. He threw sand in the air as he cursed Mr. Rao and his family. Accompanied by Mr. Chandrasekhar and another expelled leader J. Balakrishna Reddy, Mr. Naik drove to the police station.

Demand rejected: The TRS leadership later termed the incident unfortunate but firmly rejected the rebels’ demand that Mr. Rao step down from the post since he did no wrong. It said Mr. Naik visited the venue to “rupture” the proceedings of the meeting. (with thanks from "The Hindu")

KCR asked to apologise for attack on D. Ravindra Naik by June 20: Lambada Samithi

Hyderabad, June 16, 2009: Meanwhile, the Lambada Hakkula Porata Samithi demanded that Telangana Rashtra Samiti president K. Chandrasekhar Rao tender an unconditional apology for the ‘attack’ on party’s former MP Ravindra Naik at the Telangana Bhavan on Monday.

The Samithi described the incident as an “attack on tribes” and set June 20 deadline for Mr. Rao to tender his apology. Leaders and activists of the Samithi would lay siege to the TRS president’s house if he failed to apologise before the deadline.

At a press conference here, its president T. Bellaiah Naik criticised the TRS leadership for diluting agitations launched by the people of Telangana. (With thanks from "The Hindu")

TRS rebels to seek public opinion

HYDERABAD, June 16, 2009: A day after they were expelled from the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) for ‘anti-party’ activities, the rebel TRS leaders decided to mobilise people’s support against the style of functioning of party president K. Chandrasekhar Rao.

The rebel leaders have decided to conduct district-wise, village-wise voting on whether Mr. Rao has the moral right to continue as TRS president in the light of the drubbing the party received in the recent elections. “We will mobilise people to boycott him,” rebel leader and former Minister A. Chandrasekhar said.

To challenge expulsion: Mr. Chandrasekhar told The Hindu that the rebels would first challenge the decision to expel them from the party which was undemocratic. A section of leaders in the party wanted an immediate meeting of the State committee to identify lapses that resulted in the party’s poor performance and rectify the mistakes. “All this was made to enhance the reputation of the leader,” he said.

But, Mr. Chandrasekhar said, the decision to take action against such leaders “exposed the true colours of Mr. Rao” and vindicated the claim that “he had lost credibility”.

“How can the party suspend or expel those who voice concern over allegations that money changed hands in allotment of tickets,” he said. (With thanks from "The Hindu")

Participants were puzzled by the way of the TRS meeting held at Telangana Bhawan

HYDERABAD: An emergency executive meeting convened by Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) president K. Chandrasekhar Rao, under intense pressure from rebel leaders who want him to step down, was completely overshadowed by the imbroglio involving former Warangal MP Ravindra Naik.

The meeting passed off in a routine manner without going into any of the critical issues facing the party as the attention was on what went wrong outside the hall and how the media played it up. Sources said the meeting did not devote much time to discuss the poor performance of the party in recent elections.

In fact, the participants were puzzled by the way the meeting was finalised late on Sunday night following the expulsion of five rebel leaders from the party.

TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao himself drove down to the Telangana Bhavan at an unearthly hour around 2.30 a.m. to call up the delegates and invite them to attend the proceedings.

He and other party MLAs, including T. Harish Rao, were said to have slept in the building itself for the rest of the night.

Trouble apprehended: Sources said Mr. Rao might have chosen to camp at Telangana Bhavan apprehending obstacles to the meeting from the rebels.

His travel by road ahead of the meeting was also considered unsafe.

Briefing reporters about the outcome of the meeting, TRS general secretaries -- S. Madhusudhanachary and G. Jagdish Reddy -- said about 200 delegates attended the meeting and all of them expressed unflinching faith in the leadership of Mr. Rao.

It was decided to constitute political affairs, disciplinary and programmes design and implementation committees.

They said the expulsions were aimed at dispelling the impression that the rebels could get away with mounting an attack against the leadership.

The rebels were a pawn at the hands of Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy who saw a threat from the TRS. (With thanks from "The Hindu")

‘Book KCR under SC/ST Atrocities Act’

Attack on Ravindra Naik condemned

Effigy of TRS chief burnt

KARIMNAGAR, June 16, 2009 (Staff Reporter): SC\ST district leaders set fire to an effigy of TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao in Karimnagar on Monday in protest against the attack on party senior leader Ravindra Naik by TRS activists at Telangana Bhavan in Hyderabad. SC\ST association leaders led by Roop Singh and Ramchander Naik set fire to the effigy at Sripada Rao statue in the town and raised slogans KCR and demanded an unconditional apology for humiliating and attacking a tribal leader. They alleged that the TRS president is using Telangana sentiment for his selfish gains of attaining power and benefiting his family members by making money.

‘Hidden agenda’: Reminding Mr. Rao’s statement of appointing a Dalit as Chief Minister in separate Telangana state and providing reservations to tribals, they asked whether insulting the Dalits and tribals was his hidden agenda. They demanded the government to register case against Mr. Rao under the SC\ST Atrocities Act. (With thanks from "The Hindu")
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