Indefinite strike across Telangana from August 1: Kodandaram

The Telangana region would be rocked by relentless and sustained strikes, for an indefinite period, from August 1 till the time the Centre announces a decision on the creation of a separate Telangana state.

This was announced by Telangana Political Joint Action Committee convenor M Kodandaram while talking to media persons after a crucial Steering Committee meeting at Telangana Film Chamber of Commerce, at Secunderabad on Saturday.

Prof Kodandaram said that as a curtain raiser to the sustained strikes, the Telangana district will see the Vanta Varpu being organised on the roads of the entire region, except Hyderabad. This would see the people of the region come out on the road to cook.

Besides this, a one-day ‘rail roko’ would be observed across the region, Professor Kodandaram said, adding that rail traffic would be held up by separate statehood activists on July 14.

“On August 1, the relentless strikes would begin with the support of government employees across Telangana,” the TPJAC chief said.

He also invited employees from the private sector to join the indefinite strike.

“To make the indefinite strike successful, an awareness campaign would be launched in the region from July 15. The separate statehood activists will go to every nook and corner of the region and create awareness about the necessity behind the stir,” Prof Kodandaram said.

The TPJAC chief also said that effigies of those Legislators who have not submitted their resignations for the Telangana cause will be burnt in their constituencies on Sunday.

The separate statehood agitation spearhead also lashed out at both the Telugu Desam Party and Congress leaders, for backing the ‘Integrated Andhra Pradesh’ campaign in Seemandhra regions.

He appealed to the TDP and Congress leaders from Telangana to approach TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu and Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and try to get them to stop the Samaikhya Andhra Pradesh campaign stopped.

Prof Kodandaram also urged the TDP leaders from Telangana to build pressure on party president Chandrababu Naidu to clarify his stand on the separate statehood demand.

He also said that the TPJAC will support all the agitations launched by separate statehood parties, even if these parties are not part of the TPJAC.