Osmania campus tense after clashes

Students of the Osmania University put the Telangana issue on the boil once again after going on a rampage since Thursday, reports Vicky Nanjappa

There were protests by students opposing Andhra Pradesh government's decision to go ahead with the recruitment test for the post of police sub-inspectors in Hyderabad, which students claim should not be treated as a free zone.

They attacked buses, business establishments and private vehicles, prompting police to use batons to disperse them. Besides armed reserve police, eight companies (100 personnel each) of Rapid Action Force (RAF) have been stationed around the Osmania University to prevent any untoward incident, officials said.

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On Friday, The Telangana Students of Joint Action Committee has given a bandh call for educational institutions in the state capital.

The reason why we are protesting is because despite a resolution in the Andhra Pradesh assembly a month back, the government went ahead with the recruitments of the sub inspectors," he said. "I am not basing my arguments on any emotion."

There were 270 posts reserved for people from Telangana, but the AP government treated these recruitments under a free zone and recruited people from other parts of the state.

The Mulki rule, which bars people from outside from taking up jobs in the Telangana region, is in place. This was introduced to prevent people from Andhra from taking away jobs of Telangana people.

"Prior to the implementation of this rule at least 23,000 jobs were lost to the people of Andhra. The government then decided to bring back this rule. However, since it was not implemented, we moved the Supreme Court, which upheld this rule," said Prithviraj.

According to the students' union chief, a month back all the parties agreed that Hyderabad does not fall under a free zone and the employment opportunities will be offered to people of Telangana. 

"Despite this K Rosaiah (Andhra Pradesh CM) goes ahead and hands over jobs to the people of Andhra and this has angered the students. Why ask me the question as to why we did not wait for the Krishna commission report. Ask the CM to put the recruitments on hold until the report is out," said Prithviraj. 

This agitation will continue until the recruitment process is put on hold. We have asked the students not to resort to violence, but have also instructed them to keep the protest afloat until the problem is resolved," he added. 

No politician had approached the students to give them any assurance, students claimed. "The CM appears to be adamant and despite requests has not budged. You call this a democracy? This agitation will continue until the government puts into action its words that Hyderabad will fall under the free zone and not give away Telangana jobs to the people of Andhra," maintained Prithviraj.