TRS to raise arms of Telangana sainiks

HYDERABAD: Notwithstanding the hue and cry raised over Telangana Jagarana Sena (TJS), its alleged links with RSS and the background of its commander-in-chief K Umakanth, the Telangana Rashtra Samiti will go ahead with its plans to recruit one lakh sainiks (soldiers), 10,000 from each district in the Telangana region.
After the debacle in the local body elections, the TJS became a butt of attack from TRS leaders and fingers were pointed out at Umakanth for his RSS past and Union minister A Narendra for bringing him into the semi-militant outfit.The TRS leadership had even announced that Umakanth was asked to leave TJS on 'health grounds'. But nothing happened.
Umakanth told The Times of India that so far 4,000 sainiks were recruited and the target of one lakh would be completed in two months time.
Accordingly, a two-day training camp will be held in each district and in the final phase, assembly constituency level training will be imparted to the sainiks.
Each district will have about 10,000 fully-trained sainiks who are well versed in the history of the Telangana region, its neglect in different sectors, reasons for so etc.
The sainiks will be trained in organising dharnas, agitations, rastarokos etc. We have not altered our agenda and nothing has been changed as far as Telangana Jagarana Sena is concerned, Umakanth said.
Military discipline is required for the sainiks so that they can go to each house in the village and create an atmosphere in favour of separate state, he said.
They will carry the stick only to create self-confidence among themselves, the commander-in-chief said.
Asked about his RSS background and its possible impact on the TJS, Umakanth denied that RSS would not influence him while imparting training to the sainiks.
"I came out of the organisation in 1999. We will even attract the RSS. Even while I was working in the government, I used to talk about the injustice done to the Telangana region and supplied information to K Chandrasekhar Rao,��� Umakanth recalled.
The sainiks will also take up the problems of the villagers which will be discussed at the 'ratcha banda' (village centre) and brought to the notice of the government officials for their redressal. This is one way of attracting people's attention and propagating our ideology, Umakanth said.