The Andhra Pradesh government on Wednesday appealed to Telangana employees not to put common people to inconvenience and invited them for talks on Thursday to discuss the strike notice served by them.
"The government has issued orders on the demands of the Joint Action Committee of employees, which has served the strike notice. We are ready to discuss all issues which are in our jurisdiction. We request them to keep in view the welfare and development programmes of the government and come for talks on Thursday at 12 noon and also withdraw the strike notice," state Finance Minister A Ramanarayana Reddy, who heads the Cabinet sub-committee on employees issues, told mediapersons.
The chief minister had written to the Speaker to constitute a legislative committee and efforts are being made to appoint a judicial commission as demanded by the employees for safeguarding their various rights, he said.
The JAC had served a notice to go on strike from August 17.
Highlighting welfare schemes like social security pensions, poor students' scholarships, and free power for farmers in Telangana region, Reddy appealed to the employees not to put the common people in trouble.
Referring to the demand of Telangana employees for withdrawal of the Essential Services Maintenance Act in various government services, he said the ESMA was invoked in only eight departments so far.
"ESMA is not something we have brought today. We have invoked ESMA in eight departments so far. There were instances when it was imposed in over 40 departments. The government does not have a revengeful attitude," he said.
Asked about the demand of the employees to withdraw the Central forces deployed in government offices, Reddy said the forces are stationed to maintain law and order.
"The security forces are deployed to ensure protection of those visiting the offices for various works and also the employees. The employees themselves had earlier complained that outsiders were coming to their offices. The forces would not trouble anybody," he said.
Highlighting the ongoing Ramzan and coming Vinayaka Chavithi festivities, minister M Mukesh Goud appealed to the Telangana employees, on behalf of Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, not to stay away from work.
The JAC of Telangana employees, teachers and gazetted officers had on August 5 boycotted crucial talks with the Cabinet sub-committee over the proposed general strike.
The JAC had sought an assurance from the government that ESMA would not be evoked against them and withdrawal of security forces deployed in government offices as pre- conditions for coming to the negotiations table.
