Hyderabad: The Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC) on Monday declared that it would go ahead with its million march to Hyderabad on March 10 to press on with the demand for separate statehood to Telangana while police have imposed ban orders and warned action against violators.
The 'million march' would be held as scheduled but with changes in timing and form in view of year-end exams of intermediate and CBSE.
JAC convenor M. Kodandaram told reporters after a meeting of the steering committee that the march would begin in the afternoon instead of morning so that students appearing for intermediate examinations on that day face no hurdles.
JAC, comprising Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and other groups fighting for a separate state, met here on Monday to discuss any possible postponement of the march in view of the appeals made by parents of the students appearing for examinations.
The meeting decided to go ahead with the planned march but changed its timings to enable students of Class 11 and 12 standards to reach the examinations centres in Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts.
TRS President K. Chandrasekhar Rao had indicated in Delhi on Sunday that the 'march' is likely to be postponed as parents' associations and teachers sought its deferment.
The million march will be held at Tank Bund on the banks of Hussain Sagar Lake, which divides the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.
Planned on the lines of protest at Tehrir Square in Cairo, the march will demand that the central government introduce a bill in parliament for carving out a separate Telangana state.
JAC convenor Kodandaram said people from two to three points will come in a procession to Tank Bund and stage a sit-in there. "There will be no speeches but artistes will sing and dance to highlight the demand for a separate state," he said.
However, Kodandaram admitted that the march would not be on the scale on which it was originally planned. The JAC had earlier planned to bring the city to halt by blocking all the roads. "There will be more protests on a much larger scale," he said.
The march is expected to further intensify the movement for separate statehood to Telangana, which comprises 10 districts including Hyderabad.
Meanwhile, police made it clear that the march had no permission. Police commissioners of Hyderabad and Cyberabad Monday announced prohibitory orders to prevent any gathering.
Hyderabad Police Commissioner A.K. Khan said there was no permission to hold rallies, meetings and processions in the twin cities. He warned that police would deal firmly with those violating ban orders.
Prohibitory orders banning the assembly of four or more people have also been imposed in Cyberabad police commissionerate, which covers outskirts of the city including the IT hub.
Cyberabad Police Commissioner Tirumala Rao said the police would prevent people from gathering. He urged the protesters not to disturb the IT sector.