Call for Telangana shutdown Saturday to protest Polavaram Bill

The Telangana Joint Action Committee (TJAC) and the communist parties have called for Telangana shutdown Saturday to protest passage of Polavaram bill in Lok Sabha for merger of over 200 villages of Telangana with Andhra Pradesh.

The TJAC, which led the movement for separate statehood to Telangana, urged all sections of people to voluntarily take part in the strike to register their protest.

TJAC chairman M. Kodandaram told reporters that the central government's move in passing the bill without consent of Telangana is against the federal spirit.

The left parties have also opposed the passage of Polvaram Bill. Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and Communist Party of India-Marxist Leninist (CPI-ML) have also called for shutdown in Telangana.

Amid protests by MPs from Telangana, the Lok Sabha Friday passed the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill 2014 or Polavaram Bill to merge 205 villages under seven mandals of Khammam district of Telangana with Andhra Pradesh.

These villages are likely to be submerged by Polvaram project being built across Godavari river in Andhra Pradesh. The central government's move is to prevent any inter-state dispute.