sakala janula samme day 26

Sakala Janula samme: JAC Postpones Rail Roko

As the Telangana Political Joint Action Committee (TJAC) steered Sakala Janula Samme enters the day 26 - 8 October 2011, the scheduled three-day 'rail roko' program on 9, 10 and 11 October as part of the ongoing Telangana region general strike has been been postponed to 12, 13 and 14 October. JAC convenor M. Kodandaram told reporters Friday, after a meeting of the JAC steering committee, that they decided to postpone it in view of other protest programmes planned on those days. The striking employees of the government and public sector units propose to stage 'maha dharna' in Hyderabad while JAC leaders plan to undertake a 'yatra' to show solidarity with the striking employees of Singareni Collieries. Kodandaram said a final decision on the proposed programmes would be taken at the extended meeting of JAC on Saturday. "They have their strategy and we have our own," said Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao when asked to comment on the decision of the state government and railways to operate the trains despite the call for blockade. Kodandaram had earlier warned the government that it would be responsible for any consequences of forcibly operating the trains. "The agitation will continue till the government of India makes a clear statement on formation of Telangana state," Kodandaram said and urged the government not to use repressive measures against peaceful protestors. The JAC's move to postpone the rail blockade came even as a meeting attended by top government, police and railway officials decided to operate trains. Director General of Police Dinesh Reddy said the police would provide necessary security to run the trains. The JAC's 'rail-roko' postponement is also said to be to avoid inconvenience to a large number of people returning to Hyderabad from various parts of the state after Dasara vacation.

telangana formation

Center Not in Hurry to Form Separate Telangana

The recent statements by Central leaders about formation of a separate Telangana state clearly indicate that the Central Government and the Congress party are in no mood to hurry up. Statements emanating from the senior-most echelons of the Central government don't seem to hold out much hope of a speedy settlement of the Telangana statehood issue. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's reply to the October 1 letter sent by CPM general secretary Prakash Karat reiterates the need for a consensus before arriving at a decision. "I agree with you on the need for an early resolution of the matter. Let me assure you that we are making every effort to evolve a consensus in this complex and complicated issue," Dr Singh wrote to Mr Karat. UPA trouble shooter and a key person in all the decision making processes of both the UPA and the Congress, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee, in an interview to a private TV channel, clearly stated that statehood could be achieved only after more consultations and consensus among the stakeholders at both state and national levels. Mr Mukherjee went on to say that any hasty decision on Telangana would trigger similar demands in other parts of the country. Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, AICC general secretary in charge of AP affairs, said on Wednesday that there cannot be a definite time frame for resolving the issue. Speaking to newsmen in Delhi, Mr Azad said that the second round of consultations with Congress leaders belonging to the three regions would begin after the Dasara vacation. “We will invite every key person of the state in the consultation process during our second round of talks,“ Mr Azad said.

sakala janula samme day 23

Sakala Janula Samme: KCR Affect on Alcohol

We all have heard so many stories related to alcohol and KCR, now we're going to see the KCR affect on alcohol. It is feared the affect is going to be very severe resulting into 'dry-days' in Hyderabad and the nine Telangana districts as well. With thousands of employees of the state Prohibition & Excise department joining the ongoing Sakala Janula Samme from Wednesday, liquor shops in the region are certain to be closed for want of supplies in few more days. From constables to joint commissioners, about 4,000 employees of the excise department have launched the indefinite strike in support of a Telangana state. A section of employees have already been staying away from work since last week. "It will be a complete strike with no employee attending to his duties," said A. Chandraiah Goud, chairman of the Telangana excise employees Joint Action Committee. Liquor supply to the retailers across the region and even parts of Rayalaseema region will come to a halt as the liquor is supplied from distilleries and breweries to the depots only after excise employees give their clearance. The stocks from the depots are also lifted after certification by excise personnel. The region has 15 distillers, four breweries and 17 depots. The strike is likely to cause a revenue loss of Rs.50 crore every day to the government. Telangana accounts for about 60 percent of 2,500 lakh litres of liquor per annum in the state. Liquor is the biggest revenue earner for the state, contributing Rs.1,300 crore to the exchequer every month. The strike will deal another blow to liquor licensees, including retailers, bars and hotels, whose sales have already dropped by 60 percent due to the ongoing sakala janula samme, which entered its 23rd day Wednesday. Over 3,000 licensees in Telangana will also not be able to pay the fourth installment of their license fee this month. Every licensee is to shell out Rs. 25 lakh towards the installment. The retailers were hit hard at a time when they were expecting over 20 percent additional revenues during Dussehra festivities. The loss of excise revenue will come as a big blow to the government, which is already losing revenues of over Rs. 200 crore every day for the last 23 days. This is in addition to Rs. 25 crore loss the state-owned Singareni Collieries is suffering daily due to lack of coal production. State-owned Road Transport Corporation (RTC) is also incurring a loss of Rs. 7 crore daily as its buses remain off the roads in Telangana. Over 800,000 employees of the government, teachers, workers of Singareni and RTC are on strike for a separate state. Analysts even fear that there is also a possibility of agitators' spirits getting dampened with no spirits available in the vicinity.    

andhra pradesh power crisis

AP Power Crisis: Centre Comes to Rescue

The ongoing 23 day old sakala janula samme or the Telangana region general strike demanding a separate Telangana has landed the state into a major power crisis. In what could come as a partial relief to people during Dasara festivities, the state would be getting 1,000 MW from Eastern Grid and Haryana. With Prime Minister Manmohan Singh himself stepping in, the state is hoping to extricate itself from the acute power crisis to some extent after the Eastern Grid agreed to provide 800 MW. While Eastern Grid would ensure 800 MW power from 11 pm to 6 am, Haryana would provide 200 MW power round-the-clock from its Jhajjar power plant. "At a time when the state is facing severe power shortage, this 1,000 MW power should be a big relief," a senior official said. CM Kiran Kumar Reddy spoke over phone with PM's principal secretary Pulok Chatterjee and sought help to tide over the power crisis. The CM explained the precarious situation at NTPC and other thermal plants in AP because of coal shortage due to the ongoing strike in Singareni Collieries. Transco authorities said the government was trying out all options to see that the standing crops are saved and aam admi spared of blackouts during Dasara. “Our aim is to ensure power supply to the farm sector and domestic sector from 6 pm to 6 am without any unscheduled power cuts,” an official observed. Sources said the government has already sounded the Centre for an additional 500 MW unallocated from the central generation stations (CGS). The Centre has allocated 185 MW power so far and another 300 MW supply would be finalized later this week.  

sakala janula samme kiran kumar

CM Puts Crop Loss Responsibility on KCR, Kodandaram

Chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Monday said TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao and Telangana JAC convenor M Kodandaram should take the responsibility for any crop loss due to power shortage in the state. Speaking at his camp office, the chief minister said that despite all efforts, the government could not ensure enough coal supplies to the thermal stations as Telangana agitators were not allowing Singareni workers to attend their duties.   Chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy said the government would not spare anybody if they created problems to farmers and general public in the name of strike. He said that these striking unions are harming the interests of the Telangana region by hampering power production. “Telangana is a political issue and employees have nothing to do with it. Instead of serving people and farmers they are creating more problems for them. More than 70 lakh people were affected badly due to Singareni and RTC strikes," said the chief minister. He vowed to take firm steps to restore normalcy in the state. “With a great effort the RTC was brought out of red. But with this mindless strike, the corporation has plunged into severe losses again,” lamented the chief minister.   However, reacting to the CM’s remarks, Kodandaram alleged that Kiran Kumar Reddy was trying to find excuses to cover up his inefficiency. He rejected the argument that Srisailam would go empty in five days. He invited the CM for an open debate on the issue and said the Sakala Janula Samme did not result in power shortage.    

the telangana tangle

Telangana Tangle: PM Words Comfort T Cong Leaders

A 11-member delegation, including ministers K Jana Reddy, J Geeta Reddy, D K Aruna, MPs Madhu Yashki, V Hanumanth Rao, K Keshava Rao and G Vivek, and MLC P Sudhakar Reddy, met the Prime Minister Dr. Maanmohan singh on Monday at 12.30 pm. They started telling the PM one by one about their woes pertaining to the separate state demand going on in the state.   Dr. Singh, who was alone, listened patiently but saying nothing. It was Jana Reddy who began to narrate the woes of Congress leaders in Telangana, crushed between the expectations of the people of Telangana and the lack of clarity from the Centre. “Yes, I understand. Yes, I appreciate your feelings. Yes, I agree the demand has existed for long...’’ These were some of the “comforting” words that Telangana ministers, MPs and MLCs got from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during their 40-minute meeting with him on Monday.   Jana Reddy pointed out to the PM that the movement has so far been peaceful but could spin out of control now. He gave statistics of the number of people killed in the separate state agitation in 1969. At this point, the Prime Minister responded: “Yes, Yes. I have been hearing about such a situation.” Geeta Reddy and Aruna chipped in with statements seconding Jana Reddy. Geeta Reddy added that Telangana leaders are unable to face their constituents. When his turn came, Hanumanth Rao said that the Telangana people were only demanding restoration of a state that existed prior to the merger with Andhra and, therefore, the status of Hyderabad could not be the bone of contention.   The Prime Minister pointed out that AICC general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad has given an elaborate report on various issues surrounding the demand for division of Andhra Pradesh and that the core committee of the Congress would examine it in detail. Sudhakar Reddy is understood to have suggested that the Centre could take two steps now -- one immediate and another a long-term one -- to enable the strikers to call of the strike. There was no response to this from the PM.   At this juncture, Kesava Rao butted in to point out that Telangana Congress leaders were first asked to wait till Assembly elections were over in some states and then Azad took his own time to prepare his report. “How many times can we tell people some excuse or the other?” Rao reportedly remarked. To this, the PM responded, “I know it is a long pending demand” and added the rider that the Centre needed to talk to leaders from all other regions too. And, finally, he promised to convey the feelings expressed by the delegation to Sonia Gandhi and other top party leaders. The delegation were then shown out.

sakala janula samme

Sakala Janula Samme: T Ministers Called to Delhi For Talks

All Telangana ministers have been asked to rush to Delhi on Monday by Telangana Congress Steering Committee chairman K Jana Reddy.The move is to make common cause with TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao and TJAC chairman Prof M Kodandaram who are in the national capital and on mouna deeksha at Raj Ghat for Telangana. Earlier, Jana Reddy along with another chairman of the steering committee K Keshava Rao met KCR and Kodandaram and they are understood to have discussed ways to bring pressure on the party high command to speed up the process of creation of a Telangana state.   According to Congress sources, Keshava Rao took the initiative of meeting Chandrasekhar Rao who is planning to lead a delegation of 40 TJAC and employees union leaders to the Prime Minister to seek his intervention for an early decision on Telangana statehood issue. The Congress leaders, particularly Keshava Rao, wants to utilise the occasion of Chandrasekhar Rao meeting the Prime Minister to put forth the Telangana demand from their side too. He and Jana Reddy reportedly conveyed to KCR and Kodandaram that all the Telangana Congress leaders were keen that the T state should be formed and that they were ready for any sacrifices, including resigning from their positions. Jana Reddy then called the Telangana ministers to Delhi apparently to take a commitment from them that they would be prepared to make sacrifices, if needed, in their effort to bring pressure on the Congress party. The Congress leaders want the party high command to specify a date for spelling out its stand so that the state government could persuade the TJAC to call of the ongoing general strike in Telangana districts.  

sakala janula samme

Sakala Janula Samme:Buses Stopped From Entering Telangana

Hundreds of passengers were stranded Monday as buses coming from coastal Andhra towards Hyderabad were stopped at the border of the Telangana region in view of threats from groups fighting for a separate Telangana state. Over 50 private buses coming to Hyderabad from Vijayawada, about 300 km from here, and other towns in coastal Andhra were stopped by authorities at Garikapadu checkpost on the border between Krishna and Nalgonda districts. Hundreds of passengers had been stranded from 4.30 a.m. as private bus operators alleged that the Nalgonda police had refused to provide them an escort.   Police officers, however, said it would be difficult for them to provide escorts to every vehicle, especially during the day when pro-Telangana protestors are likely to stop the buses.Some passengers lodged protests with authorities saying they were being subjected to hardship as they had to reach Hyderabad to attend offices and visit hospitals. The police then allowed the vehicles up to Kodad so the stranded passengers could have breakfast.Police told the passengers that they couldn't take chances by allowing buses to pass through Nalgonda district during the day in view of the threats from protestors. One passenger said he saw some buses returning to Vijayawada from the checkpost. Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC) chairman M. Kodandaram has already threatened to stop buses operating between coastal Andhra and Hyderabad. With state-owned Road Transport Corporation (RTC) buses off the roads for two weeks due to the strike by employees in Telangana region, private operators are running more buses on the Vijayawada-Hyderabad route. Thousands of people from Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Rajhamundry, Eluru, Guntur and other towns in coastal Andhra travel to Hyderabad each day. Telangana activists last week set on fire private buses and damaged the window panes of some other vehicles during protests on the highway on the outskirts of Hyderabad and also in Nalgonda district.  

sakala janula samme

Except TRS, Everyone Seems Undecided on Telangana

The Sakala Janula Samme or 'people's general strike' is still going on unabated in Telangana region of A P since it started on 13 September 2011. While the strike demanding carving out a separate Telangana state is being spearheaded by Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and Telangana Political Joint Action Committee (TJAC), the other political parties in the state are still yet to arrive at a consensus for bifurcation of the State. The Congress in State and at the Centre continues to grapple with the contentious issue of carving out Telangana from Andhra Pradesh with consensus eluding the party on splitting the state. Congress president and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Friday (30-09-11) chaired the party's core group meeting that had Telangana on its agenda. This was the first core group meeting she was attending after her coming back from US, where she had been to undergo a surgery for an undisclosed ailment. The party's Andhra Pradesh in-charge and union health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad briefed the core group about the outcome of his talks with Congress legislators, MPs and other senior leaders from all the three regions - Coastal Andhra, Rayalaseema and Telangana - during the past few months to find an acceptable solution to the imbroglio. The broad contours of the Telangana report he had earlier in the day submitted to Sonia Gandhi at her residence were also discussed at the meeting. According to sources, the report contains the details of Azad's consultations with all stake holders and the "pros and cons of different scenarios" that could possibly emerge due to the formation of a separate state of Telangana. The views of those opposing the partition on different grounds also find a mention in the report. Amid mounting pressure for an early decision, the two-hour-long core group meeting ended without any conclusion. "Discussions are on and it will take some time before arriving at a decision. The party leadership will study the report and accordingly formulate a view on the issue," a senior leader said. Prior to the core group meeting, home minister P Chidambaram had said, "Four political parties including the Congress are yet to take a decision on the issue. TDP and MIM are waiting to see what the Congress party's decision will be. The YSR Congress too has not indicated its mind yet."  

sakala janula samme day 18

Sakala Janula Samme: Hyderabad Bandh Peaceful

The Hyderabad Bandh call given by Telangana political Joint Action Committee (JAC) on day 18 of the ongoing Sakala Janula Samme went on peacefully. There was lukewarm response to the bandh, particularly in areas dominated by Congress and MIM, while it was total in areas where BJP and TRS have a strong presence. Though shops, business establishments, theatres and petrol bunks remained shut in most parts of the city during the first few hours, near normalcy was restored by 4pm. Normal attendance was reported in all private companies as well as in IT firms at Gachibowli and Madhapur. None of the city schools, barring a few, functioned as they are closed for Dasara vacation. There were no signs of bandh in the vicinity of either sides of Musi river. It was another normal day for hotels and small establishments of Old City. Traders said since most of the people were busy with Dasara festivities, there was not much pressure either from the political parties or Telangana activists to enforce the bandh. Brisk business was witnessed in areas around Charminar and Secunderabad as shoppers made the most of the bandh call. Most of the government offices remained shut for the day with employees continuing to stay away from work. The staff strength at secretariat dropped significantly due to lack of public transportation. Nearly 95% of the RTC fleet was confined to their respective depots for the 12th consecutive day. Private carriers, including jeeps and autos fleeced people, while the RTC management ran skeletal services on all major roads with police escort. However, the entire Telangana region remained shut for the 18th day in a row as part of the sakala janula samme.  

Sakala Janula Samme: 29 September - No Newspapers

As the Sakala Janula Samme enters day 17 today, 29 September 2011, the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad went without newspapers as hawkers joined the ongoing general strike for a separate Telangana state. No newspapers could reach the readers as the hawkers stayed away from distribution of papers. English, Telugu, Urdu and Hindi newspapers were missing from bookshops and newspaper stands across the state capital. Tension prevailed at Secunderabad Clock Tower as police stopped newspaper hawkers from taking out a bike rally to Telangana martyrs' memorial near the state assembly building. Police also arrested Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC) convenor M Kodandaram who reached Secunderabad Clock Tower to express solidarity with the hawkers. Police also took into custody some protestors who tried to resist their leader's arrest. "This is unjust. You are creating unnecessary problems. Allow me to address them and we will disperse," Kodandaram told police officers. However, police officers said prohibitory orders were in force. They forcibly shifted Kodandaram to a police vehicle and took him to Bowenpally police station. A large number of Telangana supporters rushed to the station and demanded his release. Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief K Chandrasekhara Rao condemned the JAC chief's arrest and demanded his immediate release. Rao warned the government against provoking Telangana people and said it would be responsible for any consequences.