Postpone T agitation after festive season

Former minister Mohammed Ali Shabbir on Monday appealed to Telangana Political Joint Action Committee, the various employees’ unions and students to postpone bandhs and agitations on the separate statehood till after the festive season of Ramzan and Vinayak Chaturthi ends, by mid-September.

Talking to media persons at Assembly media point, Mr Ali Shabbir pointed out that the proposed dharnas and bandhs to be staged by Telangana activists would affect the livelihood of Muslims and Hindus, besides dampening the festive spirit. “The festivals will be celebrated on a large scale across the country in August and September months. Please do not dampen the festive spirit of the people,” the former minister said.

He also stated that the Telangana employees’ proposed general strike from August 17 would also affect the hygiene and health of people, since the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation employees would be participating in the strike.

“Take note of the festive season and the health of the people, and postpone the agitation,” Mr Ali Shabbir appealed. He also thanked Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy for writing a letter to the Centre on the deletion of Clause 14 F from the Presidential Orders of 1975, which facilitates placing of Hyderabad in sixth zone for recruitments.

The former minister also demanded that the Chief Minister postpone the recruitment examinations to be conducted for Sub-Inspectors posts in the state on August 13 until the Centre deletes the controversial clause.