Buckling under opposition pressure, the State Government on Monday announced that it was withdrawing a third of criminal cases against students and others, who took part in the movement for a separate Telangana state. Making a statement in the State Assembly, Home Minister, P. Sabita Indra Reddy said 562 cases against a total of 2,436 people were being withdrawn. Let's, have a detailed report on the proceedings for third day in the Winter session of the Assembly.

A total of 1,667 cases were registered against 8,047 people during the protests between December, 2009 and September this year. The State government on Monday, announced that 565 criminal cases filed against 2436 students and protestors, in connection with the agitations for bifurcation of the State between December 2009 and September 2010, have been withdrawn. Making a statement in the State Assembly, Home Minister P Sabita Indra Reddy said in all 1667 cases were registered against 8047 persons in connection with the agitations.

The Minister Stated that the government has decided to withdraw all simple cases in the interest of career prospects of youth and students. Stating that the government would examine remaining cases over a period of time, the Home Minister appealed to all youth and students to cooperate with the government by not involving themselves in violence any further.

However, the 1312-074 Opposition parties, which stalled the House proceedings for two days on the issue, expressed dissatisfaction and demanded that all cases booked against students in all the three regions of the State be withdrawn unconditionally. 1312-090 They cited precedents where hundreds of criminal cases, including arson, were withdrawn previously in the aftermath of the murder of Congress MLA V M Ranga Rao in 1988 & former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991.

Leader of Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu wanted the government to immediately withdraw all cases to protect the future of students. 1312-102 In response, the Chief Minister, N. Kiran Kumar Reddy has assured the house that every case was would be thoroughly examined. He asserted that the government would take an appropriate decision at an appropriate time in respect of the cases which were not withdrawn. The Chief Minister appealed to students not to resort to violence during protests.

The MIM leader, Akbaruddin Owaisi demanded that the cases booked against 422 Muslim youth in the old city of Hyderabad, in the aftermath of communal clashes this year, be withdrawn as well. . Majlis floor leader who was vociferous in his demand, said history-sheets were being opened against the Muslim youths which would deprive them of every legitimate opportunity in future.

The Chief Minister, however, maintained that the two issues could not be clubbed as the cases related to communal violence should be viewed with a different perspective. The House was adjourned for 15 minutes immediately after it began in the day as the TRS MLAs wanted an immediate statement on the withdrawal of cases against students.

Published Date : Tuesday, Dec 14, 11:26AM IST

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