TRS apologises for attack on dissident tribal leader

The Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) Tuesday apologised to tribals for the attack on dissident party leader and former Member of Parliament T. Ravindra Naik, a tribal, but the latter has refused to withdraw the police complaint against party chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao.

TRS activists loyal to Chandrasekhara Rao Monday attacked Naik when he, along with his supporters, was entering Telangana Bhavan, the party headquarters here.

KCR, as Chandrasekhara Rao is popularly known, Tuesday issued a statement voicing his concern over the attack on Naik. He termed the incident as "unfortunate".

TRS legislators and KCR's nephew Harish Rao also apologised for Monday's incidents. "The party respect tribals and we are sorry for what happened yesterday," he said at a news conference.

He said he and other party leaders were busy in a meeting at the time of the attack. He said some party workers acted in haste.

Naik, however, said he stood by his statement on KCR and he would not withdraw the complaint filed against TRS chief in a police station, under provisions of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Naik told reporters that he would withdraw the complaint only if the leadership takes back five leaders expelled from the party.

He also denied claims by some TRS leaders that he apologised to KCR for his remarks. "I have not apologised to anybody. I only withdrew some unparliamentary words from my statement," he said.

Naik said Telangana movement has not weakened but the people who were running the movement had weakened.

Meanwhile, the crisis in the party over the debacle in recent elections continued with dissidents Tuesday holding a meeting to chalk out their future course of action. They are demanding resignation of Chandrasekhara Rao as party president.

Last updated on Jun 16^th, 2009 at 17:01 pm IST--IANS