The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Implement GO 610 in toto, says PJR

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Feb 24, 2006

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Implement GO 610 in toto, says PJR

Special Correspondent

Claims, counterclaims on declaring Hyderabad a free zone are unnecessary, says Congress MLA

P. Janardhan Reddy at a press conference held in Assembly on Thursday.

Hyderabad: Congress MLA from Khairatabad, P. Janardhan Reddy, has demanded implementation of the 610 GO without further delay and "without any ruckus over it."

Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, Mr. Reddy said claims and counterclaims on the issue of declaring Hyderabad a free zone were unnecessary, and leaders should desist from conveying a wrong impression to people. Implementation of the 610 GO was an inalienable right of Telangana people and non-negotiable.

The Presidential Order which resulted in issuance of the GO in 1985 was categorical that Hyderabad came under the Sixth Zone.

Those who were arguing against it should know that there was no such provision called a free zone.

Lauds Cabinet

Mr. Janardhan Reddy, who has emerged a critic of the present Government, said the Cabinet had rightly decided to implement the Girglani Commission recommendations in toto and there was no room for any difference of opinion.

The issue concerned non-local Government employees and had nothing to do with Andhras in general. But, the arguments being put forth had the potential to blow it into a major issue. "This is not an Indo-Pakistan conflict. This is just a minor matter concerning injustice to a particular region and the number of those likely to be affected very small. It is not as if non-locals in Hyderabad will be packed off," he said.

On his senior colleague G. Venkat Reddy's reported meeting with Leader of the Opposition N. Chandrababu Naidu on the issue, he said: "The same persons are trying to attribute motives to me when I raised my voice on certain issues." He criticised Mr. Naidu for talking against the Girglani report since GO 610 was issued by the NTR Government and the commission appointed by him (Mr. Naidu himself).

Deputy CM's post

He reiterated his demand for appointing a Deputy Chief Minister from Telangana on the ground that it was part of the gentlemen's agreement.

Meanwhile, Mr. Venkat Reddy reiterated his argument that the commission overstepped its brief by including Hyderabad in the purview of the GO. "I can prove him wrong. The report provides exemptions. If I can not substantiate my argument I shall resign," he said.

Mr. Venkat Reddy asserted that the coastal Andhra MLAs were not opposed to implementation of the GO. "In fact, we want it to be implemented in letter and spirit without any malicious interpretations. It has provision for exemptions and let it be so then. We are not arguing that Hyderabad has been mentioned as a free zone," he observed.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail