Different sections of society on paths of agitation in Telangana
Farmers, teachers, students, government employees and others are hitting the roads and staging protests across Telangana in support of their demands
Hyderabad: It has been hardly nine months since the Congress government came to power in the State and already it is facing the ire of different sections, reflecting the sorry state of affairs. Farmers, teachers, students, government employees and others are hitting the roads and staging protests in support of their demands. Farmers have been protesting against the government over its failure in implementation of the crop loan waiver scheme.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy had promised to waive the crop loans before August 15 but failed to fulfill his promise. Now, in the guise of technical problems, farmers are made to run from pillar to post to get their loans waived. Farmers unions have also formed a Joint Action Committee. Apart from taking out rallies and staging demonstrations, farmers have been questioning the Congress elected public representatives and agriculture officers over their crop loans waiver. On Friday, a 52-year-old farmer Surender Reddy died by suicide at Medchal agriculture office.
Like farmers, Telangana Social Welfare Educational Institutions Society part time teachers hit the roads at several places across the State. They are protesting against the government orders to discontinue their services with immediate effect. Similarly, the sports coaches’ services in the society have also been discontinued, leaving them at a crossroads. Since the last two days, including on the Teachers Day, they have been staging protests. Extending support to their teachers, students are also protesting against the government to withdraw the orders and reinstate the teachers.
Last week, tenth standard students of a government school at Shamshabad in Ranga Reddy staged a protest alleging that they were being served poor quality food and drinking water. They charged that they were being served food infested with insects, while teachers separately cooked quality meals for themselves. The students demanded that the government take action against the DEO. With the students unrelenting, police had to appeal to them to withdraw their strike and assured to take up the matter with the CMO.
This is not an isolated case. On August 3, students from Kasturba Gandhi Girls School at Nacharam in Kodangal constituency represented by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy hit the streets and staged a protest over poor quality food being served to them in the hostel. On Wednesday, over 2000 students at IIIT, Basara raised slogans against the government, citing inadequate facilities in the campus. They also said there was no regular Vice Chancellor and wanted all their 17 demands to be addressed at the earliest, failing which they would intensify the protests.
A large number of power staff belonging to Backward Classes and Other Castes gathered at Vidyut Soudha on Wednesday and staged a massive protest demanding the government to address the issues related to promotions. The Telangana Electricity Backward Classes and Other Castes Employees Joint Action Committee (JAC) had given the protest call.
Likewise, members of 53 employees associations have recently formed an umbrella organization of Joint Action Committee of Telangana Employees, Gazetted Officers, Teachers, Workers and Pensioners.
They passed 36 resolutions demanding payment of four pending DAs, uniform service rules for teachers, health insurance scheme with employee contribution, implementation of Old pension scheme, clearing pending bills of retired employees etc. On August 12, they decided to discuss their demands with the State government, failing which they would also announce their future course of action plan.
