HYDERABAD: The administrative work in Telangana region was badly affected today as the Andhra Pradesh government employees and other supporters of separate statehood launched an indefinite strike in support of Telagana.As part of the 'Sakala Janula Samme' (strike by all sections of people), the state government employees in Telangana region stayed away from work in Hyderabad and other places in the region.Raising slogans in support of Telangana, the employees and other sections like lawyers and students held rallies, blocked roads, organised sit-ins and resorted to other forms of protest.At some places in the region, the employees locked the offices and staged demonstrations.The workers of the state-run coal miner Singareni Collieries Ltd also struck in various districts like Khammam, Adilabad and elsewhere.Schools, colleges and some commercial establishments too were shut down in support of the 'strike by all sections of people'.Stating that the strike was a grand success on the first day, TRS MLA and party president K Chandrasekhar Rao's son K T Rama Rao claimed that Warangal District Collector could not go reach his office as the driver of his official vehicle and other staff did not turn up for work."The employees will not cooperate with the government.The state ministers from Telangana region should also participate in the strike by the people," K Vithal, a leader of Telangana employees union, told reporters.Maintaining that the employees have made the strike a "grand success", K Swamy Goud, a leader of Telangana Non-Gazetted Officers Association, said political parties should also join the strike and support the staff against any disciplinary action by the government."Political parties have a responsibility to protect us. If there is any vindictive action against us, then the whole political system should move," he said.The government should try to resolve the issue and resorting to measures like imposing ESMA would not help the matters, he claimed.State Labour Minister D Nagender, who is a member of the Cabinet sub-committee on employees issues, appealed to the Telangana employees to call off their strike in public interest."Since the Central leadership has initiated a consultation process to resolve the Telangana issue, they should withdraw their agitation," he said.The 'strike by all sections of people' has been called by the Telangana political Joint Action Committee (JAC). It comprises the TRS, BJP and a number of people's organisations like the Telangana employees unions.Referring to the 'no work, no pay' rule being enforced on striking employees from Telangana, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy said they were only implementing the High Court directive in this regard.The State Government issued an order (No 177) enforcing the 'no work, no pay' rule in the wake of the Telangana employees' indefinite strike in support of statehood, but later kept the order in abeyance out of pressure from different quarters.The AP High Court, however, has directed the government to enforce the rule.
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