Demand to expedite formation of Telangana state

Telangana Joint Action Committee (TJAC) leaders and supporters Tuesday staged a sit-in here to demand that the process for formaing a separate Telangana state be expedited.

Leaders of political and non-political outfits which are part of TJAC took part in the protest at Indira Park.

TJAC convenor M. Kodandaram said their demands include smooth conduct of the state assembly to debate the Telangana bill sent by President Pranab Mukherjee for the consideration of the house.

He said that after the mass strike in Telangana, they never thought another protest was required to achieve the proposed state.

"But even after the central government agreed to carve out Telangana, the rulers from Andhra are creating hurdles by stalling the debate in the assembly," he said.

The TJAC leader demanded that the assembly debate the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill 2013 and send it back with its views to the president at the earliest.

Opposing some restrictions proposed in the bill, he said the people of Telangana were not ready to accept any conditions. He was referring to the proposed powers to the governor over law and order in Hyderabad.

Leaders of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, Bharatiya Janata Party and other political parties, employees' organisations and other groups staged the sit-in.