Andhra Pradesh govt condemns lathi-charge on Chandrababu Naidu

Andhra Pradesh government today strongly condemned the police lathi-charge on TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu and other legislators by Maharashtra police.
"I strongly condemn the lathi-charge on Chandrababu Naidu and others by the Maharashtra police while they were being shifted from Dharmabad this morning," Andhra Pradesh chief minister K Rosaiah said in a statement.

He also appealed the TDP cadres not to cause damage to public properties in the state in protest against the lathi-charge.

"Everyone has to observe restraint on a delicate issue like the Babhli dam. Our government is sincerely working to protect the interests of Andhra Pradesh in a democratic manner in accordance with the provisions of Constitution.

"I am leading an all-party delegation on the issue to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on July 23. I appeal to all political parties and people to join hands with the government in finding an amicable solution to the current problem," Rosaiah said.

Meanwhile, senior TDP MLAs N Janardhan Reddy and P Keshav, party general secretary Varla Ramaiah, MLC D Veerbhadra Rao and some party workers were arrested by police when they tried to storm into the Jubilee Hall, where Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee was engaged in a meeting with Finance Ministers from southern states.

The TDP delegation wanted to meet Mukherjee and Rosaiah to lodge the party's protest over the lathi-charge on Naidu and others.