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T-issue: Seemandhra Leaders Meet Gulam Nabi Azad

A 23-member team of MPs, MLAs and MLCs from Seemandhra region met the AICC general secretary Mr. Gulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday and pleaded with him to keep the state united. The leaders told Azad that the creation of the separate state of Telangana would lead to demands for a separate Rayalaseema and North Andhra states as well. The Seemandhra delegation consisted of seven ministers S Sailajanath, E Pratap Reddy, G Aruna, T G Venkatesh, A Ahmadullah, P Bala Raju and K Parthasarathi. Gulam Nabi Azad gave a patient hearing to the delegation and assured thaem that this was only a preliminary meeting and he would be holding three more such meetings. Sources said that as the meeting saw discussion mainly on the unity of the Telugu people, the AICC general secretary asked the leaders to come prepared on the status of Hyderabad and water related issues, the next time. "Next time I will ask questions and you have to give convincing answers," Azad told the meeting, according to a minister in the delegation. In an interesting turn of events, the 23-member delegation reportedly backed the state government's decision on the need to repeal the 14F Clause from the Presidential Order of 1975. In the three-hour long meeting, the leaders tried to debunk the theories of injustice done to Telangana by presenting historical and statistical documents in support of the contrary. Senior MP Kavuri Sambasiva Rao explained how the arguments being put forth to buttress the demand for a separate Telangana were wrong. Law Minister E Prathap Reddy, who represents Srisailam constituency said "We have explained how the nation is being misguided by Telangana leaders, who are saying that Telangana was colonized by the rich from Seemandhra." Stating that in recent times nearly 52 lac people had migrated to Hyderabad and its surrounding areas, Pratap Reddy said you could brand all these people migrated to Hyderabad for livelihood as capitalists. The result of the migration is that Telangana gained 12 assembly seats and we lost. It was Telangana which was the principal beneficiary of the state policies on irrigation. "Since 1956, the irrigation in Telangana has increased by 420 per cent, as compared to the increase in Rayalaseema which is just 50 per cent," he said, adding that Rayalaseema should get a financial package first if centre is keen to mitigate backward areas. Another minister Shailajanath said that the delegation had thoroughly disproved the arguements in favour of a separate Telangana state and impressed upon Mr. Azad the the division of state would hurt all three regions. Azad asked the Rayalaseema leaders to meet him separately with their requests and arguments in favour of a united Andhra Pradesh. Some Rayalaseema leaders reportedly also presented Azad with a Rayalaseema map to examine the feasibility of carving out another separate state. Sources said that two representations, one for Rayalaseema and the other for the coastal regions had been presented to Azad.

Telangana Bandh - 10-08-2011 - Videos

TRS and OU Students JAC has given a bandh call on 10-08-11 demanding removal of clause 14F from the 1975 Presidential Order. Though the union cabinet has announced its decision to delete the clause, the TRS party and OUJAC are going ahead with the bandh as called for earlier. The T-protagonists say that they would continue with agitations till the central government gets the President's approval for deletion of 14F clause. The bandh has been peaceful all over the region and no untoward incidents have been reported so far. While the bandh effect was partial in the capital, it was almost near to total in the Telangana districts.

Telangana Jagruthi Changes Quit India to Quit Telangana

Quit India Resolution was passed at the historic session of the All India Congress Committee which began on the 7th August 1942 and concluded after midnight of 8th/9th August 1942 at Gowalia Tank Maidan, Mumbai. In commemoration of the historic event, a 'National Day of Action' is observed nationwide on 8 & 9 August. The commemoration of the Quit India movement on Tuesday provided a new flash point to Telangana protagonists. Telangana Congress leaders, while staging a sit-in near the Bapu Samadhi, warned the high command that party workers would quit the Congress if the latter continued to dither on the separate issue. Other groups championing the separate state cause like Telangana Jagruti gave a 'Quit Telangana' call to Seemandhra leaders who are opposing the T demand. Telangana Jagruti, a youth organization headed by K Kavitha, daughter of TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao, said that the movement was being launched with the spirit of the Quit India movement. Releasing the poster of the Quit Telangana movement at the Telangana martyrs' memorial, Kavitha said that all those opposing the Telangana movement have no place in the region. Andhraites and their properties will not be attacked. We will follow the Gandhian dictum. Quit Telangana is a non-violent movement. Leaders like K Sambasiva Rao are spoiling the Telangana movement. His questioning of the honesty of Yadireddy, who recently committed suicide in New Delhi, is the height of Andhra arrogance and cultural domination. The Quit Telangana programme will be launched in Hyderabad first till August 15 and later taken up across the region. "As part of the movement, Telangana Jagruti workers would stage dharnas in front of the residences of Andhra leaders who were actively involved in the denigration of the Telangana movement and the people", Kavitha said.

Centre Approves Deletion of 14F Clause

The Union Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) is understood to have recommended deletion of the controversial Clause 14F of the Presidential Order, 1975, which makes the people of all the three regions in the state eligible for police jobs in Hyderabad. Political parties of all hues, including the ruling Congress, TDP and BJP in Andhra Pradesh today welcomed the Centre's decision to repeal the clause for the benefit of Telangana. However, the TRS and student groups said they would continue their campaign till the orders are issued officially. "This decision is, in fact, delayed. It will not impact the separate statehood demand in a big way. However, we thank the Prime Minister, Sonia Gandhiji and Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy for this decision. We will decide our future course of (action) tomorrow," Congress MP G Sukhender Reddy said. Telangana supporters have been agitating for long for repealing the clause. The state assembly had earlier passed a resolution seeking its deletion. Welcoming the Centre's decision, TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu said in Delhi the government should get the President's consent without delay. TRS MLA and party president K Chandrasekhar Rao's son K T Rama Rao said that the party would continue its struggle for repeal of the clause until the orders are issued after President's assent.

CM Requested PM to Delete 14F Clause

AP chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy spoke to the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh over phone today and requested him to get the controversial 14F clause in the Presidential Order deleted at the earliest. Kiran Kumar Reddy told the prime minister that since state assembly's earlier resolution to this effect is already in existance, there is no necessity of a new resolution, which the Home Minister P Chidambaram has asked for.

Schools in Hyderabad Say no to General Strike

Different types of associations are mushrooming up as Telangana agitation has gained momentum since the T-region leaders submitted their en masse resignations. Every association and even individuals are trying to hog limelight by making announcements on their own. There seems to be a lack of co-ordination between the agitating groups. The Telangana Recognised Private Schools Managements' Association (TRPSMA) in Warangal made an announcement on Sunday about the indefinite closure of schools from August 17. This has come as a shock to the managements of private schools in Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts. Even parents and students in the city were shocked to hear about the move. Surprisingly, the school managements are not aware of the existence of any association called TRPSMA. With the media prominently highlighting the TRPSMA's decision, hundreds of parents and students approached the schools to check whether the decision is applicable for schools in Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts. Concerned representatives of various schools in the city held consultations in the city and then clarified that they were not a part of any such association nor were they ever consulted on the issue. They said schools in the city would run as usual and they would declare a holiday only if there was a law and order problem on account of bandhs. While about 5,000 private schools in the city are part of Hyderabad Recognised Private Schools Managements’ Association (HRPSMA) and AP Recognised Private Schools Managements’ Association (APRPSMA), about 300 CBSE and ICSE schools in the city have separate bodies representing them. A large number of schools run by prominent corporate groups and international schools are not a part of any association. Even as the schools stated that they have not taken any decision on the closure of schools, they refused to comment on record, anticipating trouble from Telangana agitators.

T-bandh: HC Notice to KCR, Kodandaram

While ordering notices in yet another petition on bandhs and strikes to TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao and Telangana political JAC convenor M Kondandaram, the AP High Court on Monday refused to ban the proposed bandh on Wednesday. The Bench gave the government and the other respondents two weeks time to respond. The Bench ordered the notices while responding to a writ petition filed by Narayana, a resident of Anantapur district. The petitioner contended that no political party could deprive the citizens of their fundamental rights. He said that the central government had been indifferent on the clause 14(f) controversy but the political parties were not entitled to cause inconvenience to the public under the said pretext. PV Krishniah, counsel for the petitioner, insisted on an interim order so that the strike called on Wednesday could be averted. The Bench, however, did not pass any orders on the appeal.

Police Tightens Dragnet Around Million March Vandals

The City Police's Special Investigation Team probing into the incidents of violence during the Million March has prepared a charge sheet against the Telangana Rashtra Samiti chief, Mr K. Chandrasekhar Rao, the Telangana Joint Action Committee convener, Prof. Kodandaram, the TRS MLAs, Mr Harish Rao and Mr K.T. Rama Rao, and other accused for provoking the crowds on that fateful day. According to the CCS police, the chargesheet against the Telangana leaders and other participants has been sent to the public prosecutor for examination before it is filed in court at Nampally. The SIT is probing around 32 cases related to violence during the Million March where statues of prominent personalities were vandalised. Sources said that the Telangana leaders have been named in three major cases of conspiracy and it has been alleged in the chargesheet that four of them had provoked the crowds and had conspired to commit the offences at Tank Bund and assaulting police officers. Photographic and video evidence has been collected against the accused. Around 54 people had been arrested on March 10 by the Gandhinagar police and the case had been transferred to the CCS. The four leaders had been named as accused in a case booked by the Narayanguda police and the chargesheet relates to that case. The accused, however, were not arrested in the case and the police had decided to instead try them in court. A senior city police official said, “Though the case was booked under stringent provisions of Prevention of Public Property Damage Act, Criminal Law Amendment Act, unlawful assembly, rioting and criminal conspiracy, only charges of conspiracy and unlawful assembly will be levelled against them.” In the chargesheet filed by the SIT against Telangana leaders regarding violent incidents during the Million March, it has been mentioned that 12 statues were completely damaged and five statues and their pedestals were partially damaged at the instigation of the JAC leaders. During the Million March, the Congress MPs, Mr Madhu Yashki Gowd, and Mr K. Kesava Rao, were beaten by slippers and water bottles. A slogan-shouting mob had also chased them when they had arrived at Tank Bund to take part in the March. Apart from the statues being damaged, police and media vehicles were burnt, lensmen were attacked and stones were pelted on the police by agitators who had sneaked into the area despite heavy police deployment and restrictions. Acts of violence had taken place in the presence of Mr Chandrasekhar Rao and other Telangana leaders. The agitators had set alight a jeep of the Gandhinagar police station and an outdoor broadcasting van of a TV channel. They had also attacked installations and private properties at the Lower Tank Bund including burning an Andhra Bank ATM on Tank Bund.

Seemandhra Gears up to Fight Tooth And Nail

While the Telangana Congress leaders are still undecided on suspending their agitation in view of party president Sonia Gandhi's health condition, the Seemandhra Congress leaders are upping the ante by deciding to urge the Congress high command to direct the state to pass an assembly resolution for any issue that pertains to the interests of all the three regions of the state. Emboldened by the high command's stand on both Telangana and deletion of Clause 14F from the Presidential Order, the Seemandhra leaders are expected to insist on such resolutions when they meet AICC general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad in New Delhi on August 10, Congress sources said. According to a senior leader from the Seemandhra region, this condition would permanently close the doors for the Telangana leaders to move any proposal that would hurt the interests of the Rayalaseema and Andhra regions. In the 294-member Assembly, the Seemandhra region accounts for 175 MLAs while there are only 119 members from Telangana. The Seemandhra leaders are scheduled to meet Azad as part of the consultations he initiated, on August 10 to put forth their point of view on separate Telangana state. After taking the views of Telangana leaders on the issue, Azad now wants to take the views of party leaders from Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra. Convener of the Seemandhra MLAs and state minister S Sailajanath said a resolution favoring Telangana state would never get the Assembly nod as majority members were opposed to it. "The fate of the resolution is obvious. It would be defeated if moved at any time. They (TCongress leaders) should stop day dreaming of getting a resolution adopted in Assembly," he said. Stating that a 16-member team would go to Delhi on Wednesday to participate in the talks with Azad, he said they would oppose the Telangana state tooth and nail. Gade Venkata Reddy, another senior leader from the Seemandhra region, backed Union home minister P Chidambaram's opinion on the Assembly resolution. "Chidambaram was correct when he said afresh Assembly resolution was required for taking up either the Telangana state issue or for deletion of 14F," Reddy said.

TJACs Differ Each Other on Bandhs

Telangana outfits have postponed the bandh scheduled for Monday to August 10. In the past week, three bandhs were called by the Telangana Joint Action Committee and student JACs only to be withdrawn. The declaration and withdrawal of bandhs by TJAC and other student JACs has lead to widespread confusion among dailywage labourers, employees, students, parents and commuters. Sources say the reason for the postponing of the bandhs was infighting and one-upmanship among Tleaders and various students’ JACs. With no clarity on bandhs, anxious parents and others were calling up media offices to know the status of the bandhs. However, as the T-outfits did not clarify till the last minute, there was widespread confusion among the general public. August clearly will be the month of bandhs and strikes. On Monday, TJAC chairman Prof. Kodandaram will teach "Telangana Paatam" (Lessons on Telangana) to students at the Government Junior College, Saroornagar in support of the "pen down" strike announced by T-employees. This will be followed by a 48-hour bandh on August 13 and 14 to stall the upcoming SI exams. However, Telangana parties say the bandh will be called off if the controversial Clause 14(f) is deleted from the Presidential Order by then. There is also a separate "educational institutions bandh" that has been called on August 17 in support of the general strike announced by various Tstaff associations from August 17. Some T-outfits have also announced an indefinite bandh for educational institutions from August 17 onward as part of the general strike. While Telangana Students' JAC had given a bandh call on August 5, it had later postponed it to August 8. Meanwhile, the OUJAC announced that the bandh was further postponed to August 10. Differences cropped up among the student leaders in TSJAC and OUJAC over the postponement of the bandh to August 10 with the TSJAC leaders questioning how the OUJAC could reschedule a bandh announced by the TSJAC.

Rosaiah Declares 100% Consensus Not Possible on T

Former chief minister K Rosaiah has appealed to the Centre to take a decision on the Telangana issue before it takes an ugly turn. Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Rosaiah said the Centre must take a stand keeping in view the events unfolding in the state. Ruling out 100% consensus on the issue in the state assembly, the former CM said he had conveyed the same to the UPA chairperson during his visit to Delhi last year. "Cent per cent consensus is not possible on such issues. The same was the case when Madras state was formed or for that matter even when Andhra was merged with Telangana to form Andhra Pradesh," he said.

AP Govt to Clamp ESMA on More Services

Toughening its stance ahead of the proposed strike by state government employees belonging to the Telangana region from August 17 in support of a separate state demand, the Kiran Kumar Reddy regime has decided to bring 46 more services under the Essential Services Maintenance Act (Esma). The talks between the state and the employees last week had collapsed after the former refused to honour some of the pre-conditions set by the latter, including not involving the Esma in the event of a strike. According to sources, chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy on Sunday gave the green signal to the cabinet sub-committee to include more services under Esma. The cabinet panel is scheduled to meet on Monday after which the decision is likely to be announced, they said. The services which are being brought under the Esma are: AP transport services, AP rural water supply service, AP BC welfare service, AP civil supplies service, AP social welfare service, AP registration service, AP commercial tax service, AP revenue service, AP judicial and ministerial services, AP panchayat raj service, AP media and health service, AP state and subordinate services, AP last grade service, AP secretariat services, AP ministerial and allied services, AP work-charged services and AP subordinate services. The state has already brought the AP dairy development corporation, Singareni Collieries, Transco, APGenco, CPDCL, EPDCL, NPDCL, SPDCL, 104 municipalities across the state, GHMC, Hyderabad water works and sewerage board, the treasuries, pay offices, pay and accounts offices, APSRTC and Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) under Esma. ESMA was enacted in 1971 and first invoked in 1983 when NTR was the chief minister. Then, only 33 services were brought under the purview of Esma on July 5, 1983. It was invoked for the second time on November 4, 1986 against the striking state government employees. If those in the services brought under the Esma go on strike, the government will have the authority to cut their job and salary and such a decision in turn cannot be challenged in court. According to sources, another round of talks is possible between the state and the employee associations ahead of the proposed strike from August 17.

T-Ministers to Boycott Independence Day Celebrations

For the first time in the history of Andhra Pradesh, district collectors are set to take the salute in the Telangana districts on the Independence Day in view of the ministers from the region deciding to stay away from all the official events on August 15 including the ceremonial parade, in protest against the delay in the creation of Telangana. Sources told that the general administration department (GAD) has been asked to sound the collectors of 10 Telangana districts to be on stand-by to hoist the tricolour and take the salute on the Independence Day. Chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy will take the salute at Parade Grounds in Secunderabad as part of the statewide celebrations. In fact, in view of the threats by the Telangana supporters led by the TRS to disrupt the official functions on the day, several Congress MLAs, too, have decided to stay away from the ceremonial parade at the various district headquarters in the Telangana districts.

ESMA Comes in Way of Govt-Employees Talks

The Joint Action Committee of Telangana employees, teachers and gazetted officers had on August 5 boycotted crucial talks with the Andhra Pradesh cabinet sub-committee over the proposed general strike from August 17, demanding withdrawal of certain orders invoking ESMA. The JAC also demanded an assurance from the government that ESMA would not be invoked against employees, as a pre-requisite for holding talks. It also wanted immediate withdrawal of para-military and security forces deployed in government offices. Gazetted officers of various universities in the region met in Hyderabad on Sunday and discussed ways to participate in the proposed strike from August 17. Some of the leaders of pro-Telangana employees unions attended the meeting. The JAC demanded an assurance from the govt that ESMA would not be invoked against employees. "Since the Telangana leaders have already quit their posts, our participation should be equally effective. We discussed about our participation," V Srinivas Goud, a leader of Telangana Gazetted Officers Association, told reporters. Taking exception to the government invoking Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) against the employees even as it invited them for talks, he said a congenial atmosphere should prevail for the talks to be held. The JAC had served a notice on the government late last month threatening to go on an indefinite general strike from August 1 demanding apart from service-related issues, the creation of Telangana state. Subsequently, the strike was put off till August 17. However, the AP government employees and other people's organisations in Telangana region would launch their protests in support of the separate statehood demand, among others, from Monday. The government employees unions in Telangana would undertake protests like lunch-hour demonstrations and 'work to rule' from Monday and plan to intensify their stir in a phased manner.

Good News: 14F on Its Way Out!

Bright indications are that the Telangana groups have prevailed upon the government at last to do away with the controversial 14F clause of the Presidential Order. It has now been sent to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for further action. According to these sources, chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy telephoned the home minister on Thursday morning and sought an early decision on the issue as the examinations for the recruitment of sub-inspectors are slated to be held throughout the state on August 13-14. "After going through the concerned file, Chidambaram called up the chief minister around 11.30 am and informed him that he had just cleared and sent it to the Prime Minister's Office," said the sources. Kiran Kumar also enquired whether the matter needed the clearance of the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) as was stated by Manmohan Singh when a delegation of Telangana Congress MPs called on him two days ago. "Chidambaram assured the chief minister that the matter will be taken care of once the Prime Minister gives his approval," the sources said. PCC president Botsa Satyanarayana, who is in New Delhi, also said after meeting Chidambaram and finance minister Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday that clause 14 F was on its way out. "Both of them assured me of a positive decision. I am confident that 14F will be deleted before the SI examinations are held, most likely in the next couple of days," Botsa told over telephone.

T-issue to Figure in Parliament Today

With the Lok Sabha Speaker accepting to take up a 'Calling Attention Motion', the contentious Telangana issue is going to be discussed in Parliament today. Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj has given notice of the calling attention motion, which will be responded to by the Home Minister P Chidambaram. The Telangana issue has led to resignation of over a dozen MPs, including several from the Congress party from Telangana region. Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar is yet to take a decision on the resignations. It is for the first time that the Telangana issue will figure in Parliament after the MPs' resignation. The government has so far been maintaining that there has to be consensus of all the stakeholders. While Telangana MPs want the Centre to stick to its December 9, 2009 statement that the government will initiate steps for the formation of a Telangana state, but lawmakers from the rest of the state want Andhra Pradesh to be united. Congress General Secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad is trying to find a solution to the issue by holding consultations with lawmakers from all regions.

Konda Laxman Bapuji Forewarns KCR

The veteran Telangana protagonist, Mr Konda Laxman Bapuji, accused the TRS chief, Mr K. Chandrasekhar Rao, of side tracking the Telangana movement and failing to take T-supporters along with him. "If the TRS fails to change its stance, people will revolt against it and the leader. Mr Rao should be careful," Mr Konda Laxman Bapuji said. He made these remarks after a Telangana TD Forum delegation led by Mr E. Dayakar Rao called on him to seek his support in intensifying the agitation and bringing all parties on one platform. Mr Bapuji was once a close ally of Mr Chandrasekhar Rao, but later fell out with him. He said there is no need for MLAs to resign again, but the agitations must be intensified, he added.

Lagadapati Rajagopal Okays Separate Telangana State

The Vijayawada MP, Mr Lagadapati Rajagopal, on Tuesday said that he would not mind accepting Telangana as a separate state only if it would be the last state to be carved out in the Indian Union. Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Mr Rajagopal called on all political parties to come together and pass a resolution that there would be no more division of states after Telangana if it is created. He said, "all political parties should join hands and pass a constitutional resolution stating that there would not be any more division of states after Telangana, if at all it is created." He also opined that a solution has been arrived at on the vexed issue even as he declared that he would go by the orders of the party high command on the issue. He said, "My opinion is that a solution has been arrived at on the issue of Telangana. And I will go by any decision taken by the party leadership." Even as he condoled the death of Yadi Reddy who allegedly committed suicide over the statehood issue, Mr Rajagopal launched a broadside against the TRS chief, Mr K. Chandrasekar Rao, saying that he was enacting a drama to get the Chief Minister's chair. Attacking Mr Rao for his remark that he would commit suicide over Telangana, the Vijawada MP said, "He is enacting a drama just for the CM's chair."

Tollywood Blackout in Support of Telangana

With the agitation for separate statehood gaining momentum, the Telangana Film Chamber of Commerce has resolved to join the agitation by shutting down work for 48 hours on August 17 and 18. The chamber will be dashing off letters to the Telugu Film Producers' Council and the AP Film Chamber of Commerce, urging them to shut down shootings, studios, dubbing and other film-related activities in support of the stir spearheaded by TJAC. More than 450-odd theatres, including multiplexes in the region, will down their shutters, to show their solidarity for the ongoing agitation. Even though Tactivists demanded a 5 to 7 day bandh, it was scaled down to 48 hours.

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