TRS chief threatens to go on fast over Telangana issue

Telangana Rashtra Samithi president K Chandrasekhar Rao on Wednesday threatened to launch a fast-unto-death if the party's demand for a separate Telangana state is not conceded by November.

"I am demanding, declare Telangana in November. Otherwise, I am going to sit on a fast-unto-death. This is a warning. The consequences will have to be borne by the government of India and the government of Andhra Pradesh," he said.

Rao was speaking after being detained during a 'jail bharo' agitation organised by the TRS, demanding that the government make a constitutional amendment to protect the interests of Telangana in the wake of Supreme Court verdict declaring Hyderabad a 'free zone' for police recruitment.

The police department has been divided into various zones for the purpose of recruitment. 'Free zone' means people from all parts of the state can be recruited in Hyderabad. The TRS contends that declaring Hyderabad as a 'free zone' would adversely affect job opportunities of Telangana youth.

The TRS chief said his sub-regional party, spearheading a movement for a separate state with Hyderabad as its capital, would step up the stir if a constitutional amendment is not made to protect the interests of Telangana, in the wake of the apex court verdict. 
Earlier, the TRS held a protest at Indira Park in the heart of the city, as part of a 'jail bharo' stir.

Several party leaders and a large number of activists were taken into custody as they tried to march towards the Secretariat.

The TRS organised the 'jail bharo' in all Telangana districts, including Karimnagar, Warangal, Medak, Nizamabad, Mahabubnagar and Nalgonda. At Siddipet in Medak district, senior TRS legislator and Chandrasekhar Rao's nephew T Harish Rao was taken into custody along with a large number of party workers.

In Karimnagar, TRS legislature party leader E Rajender and nearly 500 workers were detained at the district collector's office as part of the agitation.

Rajender alleged that the Congress government has failed to implement the Government Order 610 that deals with proportional representation of locals and non-locals in government jobs in Telangana region.

Educational institutions and other establishments were closed at several places in Telangana in view of the 'jail bharo'.