Date:26/06/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/06/26/stories/2007062660540500.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Repatriation of Andhra employees opposed

Staff Reporter

VISAKHAPATNAM: Congress MLAs Gandi Babji and Tippala Gurumurthy Reddy on Monday opposed the decision to repatriate Andhra employees from Telangana.

Expressing their support to the demand of AP Non-Government Officers’ Association (APNGOA) to stop the implementation of Ms. GO No. 610 at a dharna here at the Collectorate, the MLAs said they would speak to Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy on the concern expressed by the employees of Andhra region.

Representatives from other parties who attended the daylong dharna strongly condemned the Government decision and termed it as ‘arbitrary and undemocratic.’ The leaders threatened serious consequences if the GO’s implementation was not put on hold.

Mr. Babji explained how the Andhra MLAs were agitated over the decision and quit from the membership of House committee on implementation of the GO.

He said he would support the demand of the NGOs personally and politically. MLC Gade Srinivasulu Naidu said Andhra people did not oppose fast pace development of Hyderabad and Rangareddy district and dubbed as parochial the decision to repatriate Andhra employees from Telangana.

He said the people of Andhra would bring pressure on the Government to withdraw the GO and criticised the opportunistic politics being pursued by the Telangana Rashtra Samiti and other Telangana outfits.

AITUC State president V.V. Rama Rao said Andhra people had secured jobs in Telangana under united Andhra Pradesh for their livelihood and forcing them to get out from there was undemocratic.

When Prime Minister Manmohan Singh hailing from Punjab could contest from Assam, why could Andhra people not continue in various jobs in Telangana.

He took strong exception to the provocative statements issued by TRS and asked the Chief Minister not to bow to the pressure tactics being resorted by Telangana outfits.