Hyderabad, July 09: The Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC) Saturday called for a day’s rail blockade across Andhra Pradesh’s Telangana region July 14 while government employees would go on an indefinite strike from Aug 1 to press the demand for a separate Telangana state.
The apex body, comprising various political and non-political groups, also announced that ‘vanta varpu’ or protest through cooking on roads will be held in nine districts July 12.
JAC convenor M. Kodandaram told reporters after the panel’s steering committee meeting that since ‘vanta varpu’ was held in Hyderabad last month, it was decided to organise it in other areas July 12.
The JAC earlier proposed to hold a two-day rail blockade July 8-9 but postponed the programme to involve the Congress, the Telugu Desam party and other parties for a joint agitation.
As the Congress and the TDP did not respond positively to the suggestion for joint agitation, the JAC decided to take up the rail blockade July 14. The agitation will be for a day.
The JAC also announced that government employees in Telangana would go on indefinite strike from Aug 1. Employee unions, which are part of the JAC, will serve a strike notice on the state government July 13.
Kodandaram said rallies would be held fom July 15 to express solidarity with government employees. He said employees of the state-owned Singareni Collieries Company Ltd. and the electricity department were also ready to join the strike.
–Agencies