Twin cities go without papers as hawkers join general strike

For most people in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, it must have been an unusual day. They woke up to find their daily newspaper missing.

No, it was not one of those festivals like Diwali when every newspaper office is closed, but the reason was that hawkers, who deliver the paper early morning every day without fail, decided to strike work in solidarity to the ongoing general strike in the Telangana region.

Bandh effect

With a bandh called for tomorrow, the 17-day old general strike in Telangana region is fast getting political colours. The bandh has already taken effect with two Union Ministers calling of their visits and a multinational IT company postponing their meeting.

While Mr Jairam Ramesh, who was to deliver the C.D. Deshmukh lecture at the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) cancelled his visit, the Minister of Commerce, Mr Anand Sharma, was not coming for the Pharmaexcil meet on Latin American Countries and exports. Microsoft also postponed its event in the city slated for Friday.

Life continued to be impacted with buses off the road and State Government employees in various departments striking work and educational institutions remaining closed. Power cuts are being maintained both in cities and rural areas with varying hours daily.

The resignation of 32 legislators of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) from the region has once again set the tempo in political circles. While they were enroute to Nizamabad district, which is to witness a bypoll in October, they had an altercation with cadres of the Telangana Rastra Samithi (TRS), police took some of the leaders into custody to control the situation.

In New Delhi, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad was expected to submit his report on the Telangana issue to the Core Committee of the Congress (I). The State Congress (I) leaders camping in the National Capital were told that wide range of consultations were necessary after the report was submitted by Mr Azad.

Mixed reactions

The TRS chief, Mr K.Chandrasekhar Rao's reported remark that the Centre was favourable for a Telangana along with Kurnool and Anantapur from Rayalseema, sparked off mixed reactions from leaders of the two districts.

COMMENT NOW