Govt is trying to suppress the general strike: Kodandaram

Accusing the state government of resorting to coercive methods to suppress the general strike that began on Tuesday, Telangana Political Joint Action Committee chairman Prof M Kodandaram warned that such moves would only intensify the agitation further.

Expressing that the Telangana agitation was on its last leg, Prof Kodandaram asked all sections of the society in the region to join the strike to mount pressure on the Centre to declare statehood for Telangana. He said that the Telangana groups were forced to give a call for the general strike only after the Centre and State Government's failed to respond to earlier agitations. He said that the government has even tried to dilute the Telangana agitation by announcing different developmental schemes for the region.

However, Prof Kodandaram said that the government would not be able to influence the on-going general strike which would not end till separate Telangana is achieved. He criticised the elected representatives from the region for having failed to perform to the expectation of Telangana people. "Initially, almost all of them submitted resignations for the cause of Telangana. But once the resignations were rejected, they resumed their regular duties. They must resign again and again till separate Telangana state is achieved," he demanded.

The JAC chairman reiterated that the general strike was not confined to government employees and appealed to all sections for their support. He said that the general strike and other agitations would continue till the Centre makes a clear cut announcement with regard to Telangana.