Silence reigns supreme at Dharna Chowk

Indira Park:  The Dharna Chowk in front of Indira Park here became dysfunctional exactly on this day one year ago. Silence and peace prevails in the place which was once a hot bed of protests. 

The place, which used to abuzz with protests, dharnas and other forms of protest against the establishment and others has fallen silent and remained so for over a year now. 
 Currently, petty vendors are selling fruits and other goods at the place, which hosted the anti-establishment events. 

On March 8, 2017, agriculture extension officials staged the last ever protest here seeking regularisation of their services and a rise in their wages. 

Barring the TRS, several political outfits and public organisations condemned the state government wounding up the Dharna Chowk, which served as a forum for people to raise their voice against the rulers, and demanded the government to allow it to continue. They even submitted a memorandum to Governor ESL Narasimhan highlighting their demand. 
 A ‘Chalo Dharna Chowk’ rally led by Telangana Praja Front president Nallamasa Krishna was foiled by the police and the protesters were arrested. 

Later, a committee constituted to safeguard the Dharna Chowk under the joint aegis of the Telangana Joint Action Committee, Left parties and people’s organisations and protested for over a month at CPI state office in Himayatnagar. 

 Cong, TDP, BJP, CPI, CPI-ML (New Democracy), Telangana United Front activists and several students’ organisations took out a Chalo Dharna Chowk rally. Police in mufti staged a sit-in and raised slogans in support of winding up the Dharna Chowk. Also, the police resorted to lathi-charge the rallyists, causing injuries to many.