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IN PHOTOS: Telangana shutdown paralyses Hyderabad
Normal life was badly affected as the day-long Hyderabad bandh called by the Telangana Political Joint Action Committee as part of the ongoing agitation for a separate state, began on Friday.
Protests for Telangana have paralysed the normal life in the region for the past 18 days.
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Complete shutdown in Hyderabad
Shops, business establishments were closed at many places in Hyderabad. Schools and other education institutions have already declared holidays for the Dusshara festival.
With pro-Telangana employees of Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation already participating in the 'Sakala Janula Samme' (strike by all sections of people), public buses remained off the roads.
Police have made elaborate security arrangements in view of the shutdown and bandh, which has been peaceful as of now.
'Telangana decision only after Azad submits report'
Stating that the Telangana Rashtra Samithi and the JAC would not call for a bandh in the near future, TRS president K Chandrasekhara Rao on Thursday night appealed the people to make the shut down a success.
Meanwhile, a decision on Telangana will be taken only after Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad submits his report on his deliberations with Congress MLAs and MPs of Andha Pradesh, Home Minister P Chidambaram said in New Delhi on Friday.
'Allow a little time for party, govt to take decision'
Talking to mediapersons, he said Azad, the Congress general secretary in-charge of Andhra Pradesh, has conveyed to him that he would submit a report on Telangana after consultation with the party MLAs and MPs either on Friday or Saturday.
"He has told them (MLAs and MPs) that allow a little time for the party and government to take a decision."
Chidambaram was replying to a question on when the Centre will convene an all-party meeting to deliberate on the issue of Telangana.
'Four parties still to decide stand'
He said four political parties of Andhra Pradesh have not taken their decision on the issue and in the top of the list is the Congress party.
"Telugu Desam Party and the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen are waiting to see what Congress party's decision will be. The other party the YSR Congress has not indicated its mind either."
"So I think one important stage of the consolation appears to be over today and the report will be submitted today or tomorrow. And after that I hope that the parties will make up their mind quickly as I appealed in Parliament to enable me to call an all party meeting," he said.
Govt not to pay salaries to striking employees
In a related development, the Andhra Pradesh government decided not to pay salaries to employees and teachers from Telangana region who have been taking part in the ongoing indefinite strike for the past 18 days.
The government will strictly implement the AP high court order and deny salaries to the striking employees. Those not taking part in the stir will, however, be paid full month's salary on Saturday, State Finance Minister Aanam Ramanarayana Reddy said in Hyderabad on Friday afternoon.
Pensioners too would get their due as usual, he added. Talking to reporters after a meeting with Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, he said the government would pay salary only for 12 days in September to employees who launched the indefinite strike on September 13 in support of the demand for statehood to Telangana.
'No work, no pay'
"We will go by the attendance particulars and pay the salaries accordingly. We will strictly follow the high court order in relation to no-work, no-pay," the minister added.
Meanwhile, a majority of the striking employees are bringing pressure on Congress MPs from Telangana to prevail upon the Centre and the party's government in the state to get their full salaries released in view of the Dusshera festival.
The MPs, currently camping in New Delhi lobbying for a separate state, reportedly took up the issue with Azad and sought his intervention.
'We can't violate HC directive'
A top Congress leader called up the CM and wanted him to consider the employees' plea. Kiran reportedly maintained he was only implementing the HC order and any violation could become a contempt of court, informed sources said.
"There is pressure on us to pay full salaries to striking employees. But we can't violate the HC directive," a minister said.