Telangana govt employees on a hunger strike today

Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh government employees in Telangana region will undertake a relay hunger strike in Hyderabad on Thursday in support of the demand for separate statehood to the region.

The relay hunger strike will be held at Indira Park from 10 am to 5 pm, the Telangana Non-Gazetted Officers association and other unions said on Wednesday.

The Telangana Employees Joint Action Committee has already served a notice to the government that it would launch an indefinite general strike from August 17 primarily in support of the demand for creation of a separate state.

It has also submitted a charter of demands that include appointing a judicial commission to look into irregularities in appointments and deputations in violation of zonal regulations.

The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet sub-committee on employees ton Wednesday decided to invite the Telangana Employees Joint Action Committee (JAC) for talks on August 5 to resolve their pending grievances and avert a strike.

Meanwhile, pro-Telangana groups on Wednesday decided to postpone the shutdown proposed to be enforced on August 5 on the Hyderabad free zone issue.

The student groups had called for the bandh in support of their demand for deletion of Clause 14 (F) of the Presidential Order of 1975 that makes Hyderabad a free zone for employment in police department.

A meeting of political parties will be held on August 5 to enlist their support for the demand for deletion of Clause 14 (F), Telangana political Joint Action Committee (JAC) Convener M Kodandaram said.

The pro-Telangana student bodies had announced a series of protests, including the bandh, beginning this week.

As per the call for protests, the effigies of Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and the state DGP were burnt at various places in the region on Wednesday.

Kodandaram asked political leaders of the region to join the Telangana supporters, who are going to launch an all-people's strike from August 8 in support of Telangana demand.

The JAC has already asked the public representatives of the region to quit their posts by August 6.

Kodandaram was speaking at a fast organised by the pro-Telangana teachers' groups on Wednesday.

TDP leader E Dayakar Rao faced protests allegedly from the teachers when he visited the fasting camp to express solidarity with them.