Telangana Students Joint Action Committee calls for shutdown against Centre’s proposal

HYDERABAD - The Telangana Students Joint Action Committee has called for a shutdown in the Telangana region on Saturday in protest against the seven-point terms of reference announced by the Centre.

A five-member committee is to examine the situation in the state with reference to a demand for a separate Telangana state and will submit its report at the end of the year.

The all party Telangana Joint Action Committee has extended support to the shutdown, which includes several pro-Telangana parties including the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Communist Party of India (CPI).

Public transport has been severely hit as a result of the shutdown. Section 144 has been imposed for a week in Hyderabad and Secunderabad as a precautionary measure.

The committee on Telangana will meet in New Delhi today to look into the process for forming a separate Telangana state.

The seven-point term of reference says the committee will examine the situation in the state with reference to a demand for a separate Telangana state as well as the demand for maintaining a united Andhra.

The panel will review the developments in the state since its formation and their impact on the progress of different regions of the state.

The committee will also look into the impact of the recent developments in the state on different sections of the people such as SCs, STs, minorities, women, children and students.

The five-member committee, headed by Retired Justice B N Srikrishna, has been asked to submit a report on the issue by December 31.

The Telangana Rashtra Samiti had on Friday rejected the terms of reference announced by the Centre and asked all its elected representatives to resign in protest against Centre’s betrayal. (ANI)