Andhra Pradesh - Karimnagar   

Statehood demand revived in coal belt area

Staff Reporter

Meeting focuses on protection of Singareni coal mines from privatisation

KARIMNAGAR: The Telangana Joint Action Committee with the demand for formation of Telangana and opposed to the privatisation of Singareni Collieries Company Limited organised a massive public meeting at the Nehru Stadium grounds in the coal belt town of Godavarikhani on Saturday night.

Earlier, a massive rally was organised from Government Junior College grounds to the stadium grounds passing through all major thoroughfares by paying tribute to the martyrs of Telangana movement and Singareni Collieries. Special attraction of the evening in the coal belt was balladeer Gadar and his songs on Telangana. Leaders including Deshini Chinamallaiah, Kesavarao Jadhav, Pasham Yadagiri, Telangana cultural troupe members, intellectuals and others participated.

Fresh impetus

The Telangana statehood movement, which saw a lull after the byelection to Karimnagar parliamentary constituency, was again revived in the Godavarikhani industrial area, especially targeting the miners of Singareni Collieries, which is spread over four districts of Karimnagar, Adilabad, Warangal and Khammam. The coal belt town reverberated with the slogans of `Jai Telangana' and songs of Gaddar and other artistes.

This public meeting had attained importance in the wake of ensuing elections to the recognised trade union in Singareni Collieries. As a prelude to the public meeting, Gadar had earlier participated in the Singareni Cultural artistes programme and also visited various mines in Godavarikhani town recently. The meeting focused on the formation of Telangana and protection of Singareni coal mines from privatisation.

The district police made unprecedented security arrangements for the public meeting by deploying additional forces.

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