Govt employees to join pro-Telangana agitation

Andhra Pradesh government employees' unions in Telangana region would participate in the proposed strike in support of separate statehood agitation from August 17.

"We have given a notice to join the agitation from August 1 and, accordingly, we will take part in the stir. We want Union Home Minister P Chidambaram's statement in favour of separate statehood to be implemented," K Swamy Goud, a leader of Telangana non-gazetted officers association, told mediapersons in Hyderabad.

"This strike from August 17 will be participated by employees, teachers, staff of AP State Road Transport Corporation, workers of state-run Singareni Collieries and all," the employees unions' leaders said.

The strike by the government employees from August 17 will be preceded by round-table conferences, a 'bus yatra', relay hunger strikes and pen-down protests till the second week of the month.

The union leaders demanded that all the Telangana leaders submit resignations from their posts again by July 30 as the Assembly Speaker had rejected the resignations submitted earlier.

Goud said the union leaders would be ready for talks with the government. State Finance Minister A Ramanarayana Reddy and other ministers discussed the problems and the strike notice submitted by the unions.

Meanwhile, the employees unions would undertake a visit to Delhi from tomorrow to meet leaders of opposition parties like BJP and CPI which are pro-Telangana.

They would seek the support of the leaders of opposition parties on the Telangana cause. The leaders of the unions, who are part of the Telangana political Joint Action Committee met TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao tonight.

The JAC comprises TRS, BJP and the government employees unions.