Division among govt staff widens

Hyderabad: The State government offices in the city are turning into hot bed for demonstrations by the pro-and anti- Telangana supporters. The agitations are on the rise with each passing day. Monday saw competition among Telangana and Seemandhra supporters in sloganeering and demonstration at Vidyut Soudha, Bus Bhavan, Aranya Bhavan and Endowment commissioner’s office. While the T employees demanded that the Centre to introduce T Bill in the Parliament immediately, the Seemandhra employees demanded the Centre to roll back its decision.

Meanwhile, the TRS student wing tried to take out the rally, ‘Hyderabad Hamaara’ from Nizam college grounds which kept the police on tenterhooks. Such lunch-hour meetings have now become a regular feature, and at some places clashes between the employees were also witnessed in the last few days. Earlier jostling and pushing among the employees were seen at Bhima Bhavan and Jala Soudha. Though the employees from both regions resorted to lunch-hour demonstrations, it has been peaceful, except when political leaders try to pitch in.

On Saturday, the situation turned a little violent when Seema leader N Tulasi Reddy went to Jala Soudha to express his solidarity with the agitating Seemandhra employees. He was arrested by police. Earlier another leader Parkala Prabhakar’s visit to Vidyut Soudha led to tensions and employees came to near blows.

On Monday, TRS floor leader and deputy floor leader in the Assembly, T Harish Rao and Etela Rajender along with other legislators of the party were arrested during separate protests. These actions invited the wrath of the TRS camp with legislators charging the government of following different set of rules for Telangana and Seemandhra regions.

Harish Rao claimed that he did not go to Vidyut Soudha to participate in the dharna. He said he wanted to meet a Telangana employee, Santosh, who was reportedly beaten by Seemandhra staff. MLA Koppula Eshwar and TRS leaders Peddi Sudershan Reddy and Erolla Srinivas accompanied him. However, police deployed in large numbers at Vidyut Soudha prevented them from entering the premises and arrested them. They were kept at Goshamahal police station till 6 pm. Expressing ire against the government, Harish said that the government was turning a blind eye when T employees in Nellore and other districts were attacked by Seemandhra employees. APNGO members, however, alleged that it was they who were at the receiving end.

They said they were being prevented from exercising their democratic right to protest in a peaceful manner. Meanwhile, a large number of TRS student wing members assembled at Nizam College and tried to take out a peace rally upto Ambedkar statue near Tank Bund. They were arrested near the main gate. TRS MLA Etela Rajender and MLC K Swamy Goud, who came there to support them, were also arrested.