Ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Hyderabad on Tueday, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi and Telangana Joint Action Committee leaders launched a stir over the Telangana statehood demand.
Grappling with the contentious Telangana issue, the Congress on Sunday indicated that the much-talked about mechanism on it was unlikely to be formed soon and urged partymen to withdraw from the Joint Action Committee agitating for the creation of a separate state, warning them of stern action for indiscipline. "The terms of reference are under preparation and not yet finalised," said Union Law Minister M Veerappa Moily, who is also in charge of party affairs in the state.
Only a constitutional and political crisis can ensure the formation of Telangana, K Chandrasekar Rao, the Chief of the Telangana Rastriya Samithi said in Hyderabad on Tuesday. His were the opening remarks at the Telangana Joint Action Committee meeting that was held on Tuesday to decide on the next course of action to be taken towards the formation of a separate state.
The Telangana Joint Action Committee which was to complete their protest march at 7 pm on Sunday decided to stay put on Necklace Road in Hyderabad until there was a decision on separate statehood.
The Congress ministers from Telangana in Andhra Pradesh on Monday said they will not take back their resignations until the party high command sets a time-frame for the formation of a separate state."We won't take back our resignations till the high command acts within a time-frame for the formation of a separate state of Telangana and clarifies doubts over the second statement of Home Minister P Chidambaram made last week," said AP Civil Supplies Minister J Krishna Rao.
Normal life was badly affected in Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh as the 48-hour bandh called by Telangana Joint Action Committee in support of their demand for early introduction of a bill for formation of a separate state, began on Tuesday.
Worried over his deteriorating health, doctors have advised Telangana Rashtra Samithi chief K Chandrasekhar Rao to call off his nearly ten day fast-unto-death.
Telangana supporters on Thursday intensified their protests as part of the ongoing general strike that began on September 13. Mohammed Siddique reports
At a meeting in Hyderabad on Monday afternoon, pro-Telangana activists decided to impose a ban on all national TV channels with immediate effect in the region. These activists believe that these channels have downplayed their agitation for a separate state. The students Joint Action Committee had informed cable operators in the Telangana region about the proposed step. The operators have decided to issue a circular across entire Telangana region.
The issue pertaining to the formation of a separate Telangana state is expected to heat up further with two major meetings scheduled for February 7.
MIM President Asaduddin Owaisi told rediff.com on Thursday that MIM was a political party responsible to the people and it cannot act under pressure from any committee or forum.
Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Tuesday said his party did not 'surrender' but took a step back in the seat-sharing negotiations with its Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance partners as the talks could not go on indefinitely.
Even as pro-Telangana students are preparing to launch an indefinite hunger strike from July 11 at the Osmania University in Hyderabad, to press for Telangana statehood demand, police on Saturday denied permission to it.
Profesor Kodandaram, chairman of the Telangana Political Joint Action Committee, says that they still do not have faith in the Congress as they feel that the formation of the new state will be delayed.
The violence during the Million March protest in Hyderabad on Thursday seems to have caused considerable confusion in the ranks of the Telangana movement leaders.
The Hyderabad police have registered 16 cases against pro-Telangana activists, including Telangana Rashtra Samithi leaders K Chandrasekhar Rao, in connection with the violence during the 'Million March' on Thursday.
Water supply to both the valley and hills in Manipur was stopped indefinitely from Saturday by angry employees of the public health and engineering department to protest the killing of an employee and his son by militants. A spokesman of the PHED employees association told reporters that they would continue their agitation until an agreement was reached between the state government and joint action committee formed by local residents of the victims.
The JAC has been continuously pressuring the BSNL management to procure mobile lines and other equipment to enable the company to provide better service to the people.
The Telangana Joint Action Committee, Telangana Rashtra Samithi and other pro-Telangana parties on Wednesday criticised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's remarks that the Centre was trying to arrive at a consensus on Telangana issue.
Stepping up the agitation for introduction of a bill for formation of Telangana state in the budget session of Parliament, activists of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, Bharatiya Janata Party, and several other organisations staged road blockades across the region on Monday.
The protests at the Osmania University, which has been the nerve centre of the movement, have intensified and two buses have been burnt down despite heavy police presence. Protests were also witnessed at the Dharna Chowk locality in Hyderabad.
Pressuring the legislators and Members of Parliament of Telangana region to resign in support of separate state, the Telangana Joint Action Committee on Friday assured all such representatives that they will be re-elected to their respective positions unanimously.
The 42-day-long strike by the government employees of Telangana region was withdrawn on Monday evening. About 45,000 employees, who had gone on an indefinite strike on September 13 in support of Telangana state, will be returning to work from Tuesday morning.
In view of the rail-roko call given by Telangana Joint Action Committee in Telangana region, the South Central Railway on Thursday announced cancellation of as many as 124 passenger trains for three-day period.
Widespread protests, demonstrations, road blockades and rallies were held in several Telangana districts while Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC) activists allegedly attacked Civil Supplies Department's godown and burnt vehicles in Mahabubnagar district.
Rejecting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's appeal, Telangana protesters on Monday threatened to intensify their agitation if the Centre does not immediately announce the formation of the state even as Telangana Rashtra Samithi chief K Chandrasekhar Rao declared he may go on a fast-unto-death.
Telangana Rashtra Samiti president K Chandrasekhar Rao and a delegation of the Telangana political Joint Action Committee on Friday left for Delhi to press for an early decision in favour of a separate Telangana state. The delegation will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other important leaders including Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, Rao told reporters. The BJP supports the demand for a separate Telangana state.
Telangana Rashtra Samiti and Telangana Joint Action Committee have set the tone for the indefinite mass strike from Tuesday with a massive show of strength in Karimnagar district.
The stage was set for a do-or-die battle for separate Telangana state, as government employees and teachers of the region along with all the other sections of the society will go on an indefinite strike from Tuesday.
Modi can abandon the path of Hindutva only at risk to his position within his own fraternity. But if he pursues a hard line, he faces the risk of being hauled up by his coalition-partners. For the first time in a decade, Modi is not in enviable situation, observes Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
The gigantic Stade de France resembled a concert hall hosting a party to celebrate the fortnight of sporting excellence as the breathtaking Closing Ceremony of the Paris Olympics kicked-off with athletes marching into the iconic stadium to thunderous applause in Paris on Sunday.
The National Security Strategy document should flag all major issues concerning security strategy and provide guidelines to concerned departments to work out suitable action plans. Since the global and regional geopolitical canvas is dynamic, the NSS document should be deliberated at length before formulation and should be reviewed periodically, recommends Commodore Venugopal Menon (retd).
Tension flared up across Andhra Pradesh on Saturday as pro Telangana students of Osmania University in Hyderabad assaulted a group of teachers from Andhra and Rayala Seema regions, who had come to evaluate B.Ed papers.
As Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh remained shut on the second consecutive day in response to the 48-hour general strike call by the Telangana Joint Action Committee, the Telangana Rashtra Samiti has warned the Congress leaders of the region against any compromise with their central leaders.
The row kicked up by the ministers of Andhra and Rayala Seema region, who called agitators demanding a separate Telangana state 'anti-national and seditious', intensified on Thursday with pro-Telangana leaders urging the state governor to dismiss these ministers from the cabinet. A delegation of Telangana Rashtra Samiti and Telangana Joint Action Committee, headed by K Chandrasekhara Rao and Professor Kodanda Ram, met Governor ESL Narasimhan at Raj Bhavan.
Demanding that Centre make an announcement of formation of Telangana state by June 25, the Telangana political Joint Action Committee on Thursday said the members of Parliament and members of legislative assembly of the ruling Congress and opposition Telugu Desam Party should resign if this did not happen.
The government on Tuesday put on hold the district training programme of controversial Indian Administrative Service officer Puja Khedkar, who is under the scanner for allegedly forging disability certificates to clear the Civil Services examination.
A bench of judges P Sathasivam and B S Chauhan rejected the plea of the pilots' association that the decision to keep the 2007 decision in abeyance and reverting to the 1992 rules would mean longer duty hours, leading to fatigued crew and danger to aircrafts safety.
The Telangana Joint Action Committee which was to complete their protest march at 7 pm on Sunday has decided to stay put on Necklace Road in Hyderabad until there is a decision on separate statehood.
With the date of 'Million March' of Telangana supporters fast approaching, political temperature continues to rise in Andhra Pradesh.