Andhra Pradesh chief minister K Rosaiah tonight justified the arrest of Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) K Chandrasekhar Rao ahead of his fast-unto-death demanding separate Telangana, saying it is the responsibility of the state government to maintain law and order.
"His (Chandrasekhar Rao) speeches and the language he is using over the last one week are not correct. We have the responsibility to maintain law and order. We waited patiently. We had to take this action only to ensure that the situation does not go out of control. In a way, this is like a preventive arrest," Rosaiah told reporters.
The way the TRS chief prepared for the fast and the tense atmosphere that built up warranted the arrest, he said. Maintaining that the Congress is not opposed to the formation of separate Telangana, he said the TRS should wait for the Congress high command to take a decision.
"Before 2004 elections, Congress and TRS had reached an understanding and entrusted the responsibility of solving the issue with Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Rao agreed for that. Congress high command is thinking on the matter. They have appointed a committee and trying for consensus. While that process is on, it is not fair to resort to extreme action.
"It is not easy for the Centre to take quick decisions on division of a state. They have to take into consideration various issues. So we cannot find fault with anyone over the delay in taking a decision at the Central level. The process of consultation is on," he said.
On the alleged excesses in police action on the protesting students in Osmania University today, Rosaiah refused to comment on the incident but said police have been told to observe restraint.
Rao was arrested near Karimnagar earlier in the day while he was on his way to Siddipet in Medak district, where he proposed to undertake a fast-unto-death for separate Telangana. Rosaiah later held a review on the situation arising out of the arrest of Rao with home minister P Sabita Reddy and other ministers from Telangana region.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, Reddy said the arrest of Rao was a precautionary measure to maintain law and order. She said the government would order an inquiry into the police action at Osmania University, due to which a student allegedly died.
The government has directed the police to observe restraint while handling the TRS protests, the home minister said.
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