Hyderabad : In a repeat of the pre-bifurcation days, the TRS and Opposition parties barring the TD have united to prevent the implementation of Section 8 of the AP Re-Organisation Act, which allows for the Governor’s control over law and order in the common capital.

The MIM went a step further, asking Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao to mount pressure on Centre to amend the the Act and remove Section 8. Apart from ally MIM, the Congress, BJP, CPI, CPM and also the YSR Congress, despite differences on several issues, the Telangana JAC and other organisations are supporting the TRS on the matter. Mr Rao is planning to visit Delhi to take up the issue with the Centre.

“The concept of joint capital itself is wrong. Besides, law and order is a state subject and peace prevails in Hyderabad. Governor’s control of law and order over Hyderabad is unconstitutional and unacceptable. How the Chief Minister can have control of law and  order over Telangana State and the Governor over Hyderabad? It’s ridiculous. We will oppose it,”  Mr Owaisi told Deccan Chronicle.

“I and TMC MP Sugata Roy opposed Section 8 in Parliament during the discussion on the Bill. Law and order is a state subject and any deviation will be unconstitutional. Hyderabad is not like Delhi, the national capital, or Arunachal Pradesh, bordering China, where the Lt Governor and Governor have control over law and order,” he said.

Caught in the crossfire, Telangana BJP president G. Kishan Reddy, an ally of the Telugu Desam, refuted reports regarding the Centre’s directive to the Governor on Section 8. “It’s false propaganda. The Centre did not take any decision on Section 8. There is a conspiracy to fix the BJP government at the Centre,” Mr Kishan Reddy said.

Congress senior leader D. Srinivas suspected a conspiracy to create trouble in Hyderabad. “Naidu is creating a ruckus to divert attention from the cash-for-vote scam. Why did he not raise the issue till now,” asked Mr Srinivas.