Live updates: Massive protests in Seemandhra as Telangana people celebrate

Hyderabad/Vijaywada: Seemandhra region in Andhra Pradesh witnessed protests as people gave vent to their anger against the passage of the Telangana bill in Lok Sabha, even as police stepped up security to thwart trouble.United Andhra supporters including members of the opposition parties and students took to the streets, held demonstrations and resorted to road blockades in Anantapur, Nellore, Prakasam, Guntur, East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna, Visakhapatnam and Chittoor districts and other parts Seemandhra region.State DGP B Prasada Rao told PTI that barring a few protests and dharnas, the situation in Seemandhra is under control. "We may seek additional forces, depending upon the situation," he said."The situation is tense...But under control. So far, the protests have been peaceful. However, we have called for additional forces (two companies of central paramilitary forces) as a precautionary measure," IGP (Guntur Range), P V Sunil Kumar, said."After the passage of the Telangana Bill, we are anticipating agitations and hence we have tightened security. Paramilitary force and state police personnel were deployed at different places to thwart any attempts to disturb law and order. Security has been stepped up at public places, around statues, including residences of public representatives and state and Union ministers from Seemandhra," Anantapur district Superintendent of Police S Senthil Kumar said.Security was strengthened around Central government installations, railway stations and offices.Effigies of Congress president Sonia Gandhi were burnt in the district headquarters town of Ongole, where the protesters took out candlelight and silent procession denouncing the bifurcation.A senior police officer from Eluru range said, "Police are on full alert. Pickets have been set up and patrolling has been intensified."If the bill also gets the approval of Rajya Sabha, the Telugu-speaking people will have two states with Telangana becoming India's 29th state.Telangana will have 10 districts including Hyderabad, which will serve as a common capital for a period not exceeding 10 years. The residuary state of Andhra Pradesh will have 13 districts.In a move to assure protection to Seemandhra people living in Hyderabad, the bill proposed that common governor of the two states will have power of maintaining law and order in the city, but ignored the demand from Seemandhra leaders that the city be declared a union territory.The bill, when passed by Rajya Sabha, will bring curtains on Andhra Pradesh, which came into existence in 1956 with the merger of Telangana, then known as Hyderabad State with Andhra State, which was earlier carved out of Madras State.With an area of 1.14 lakh square kim and a population of 3.52 crore, Telangana will be 12th largest state in terms of both area and population.The reaction to the development was immediate with central minister D. Purandeswari reportedly sending her resignation to Sonia Gandhi.Three Andhra Pradesh ministers from Seemandhra resigned in protest while Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy is all set to quit Wednesday. Pitani Satyanarayana, one of the ministers, said Kiran Reddy would submit his resignation Wednesday morning.Central ministers from Seemandhra hit out at their own party-led government for passing the bill in "undemocratic" manner."It is totally undemocratic, immoral and unethical," said Textiles Minister K.S. Rao, who like other ministers from Seemandhra hope that the bill will be stalled in Rajya Sabha. Human Resource Development Minister M.M.Pallam Raju said the bill was passed against all democratic norms. Another minister K. Chiranjeevi said after the meeting with Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi last night, they hoped that justice would be done to Seemandhra. He said the BJP also disappointed them.Vijayawada MP L. Rajagopal, who had used pepper spray in Lok Sabha last week to protest tabling of the bill, announced that he is retiring from politics for failing to stop bifurcation.Telangana erupted in joy Tuesday while protests broke out in Seemandhra. Telangana supporters in Hyderabad and nine other districts of the region burst firecrackers and distributed sweets.