Against the backdrop of the pro-Telangana agitation, the Supreme Court order declaring Hyderabad as a "free zone" for recruitment in government jobs today triggered demands from TRS, TDP and other parties to pass a resolution in Assembly requesting the Centre to amend the Constitution to protect the interests of Telangana youth.
The demands came following the dismissal of the petition filed by the Andhra Pradesh Government in the apex court to review the earlier judgement that declared Hyderabad as a "free zone" and not part of "zone six" for government recruitment. The state was divided into six zones for the purpose of recruitment in government jobs.
The government had been treating Hyderabad as part of 'zone six' along with few other Telangana districts. This was, however, challenged in State Administrative Tribunal and high court which held that Hyderabad was indeed part of 'zone six'.
The Supreme Court, however, set aside the high court judgement and said Hyderabad is a free zone, entitling people from other parts of Andhra to compete in government jobs.
Leaders from all political parties in Telangana contend that local youth would be at a disadvantage if Hyderabad is declared a free zone for the recruitment purpose.
"The government should prove its sincerity by passing a resolution immediately in the Assembly requesting the Centre to amend the Constitution," TRS President K Chandrasekhar Rao told reporters here.
Rao threatened to launch an agitation if the State government failed to pass a resolution in the Assembly.
The TRS chief said he would meet prime minister Manmohan Singh, after the Assembly passed the resolution, to appeal to him to take steps for amending the Constitution.
Earlier in the day, members of TDP, BJP, CPI and CPI(M) demanded in the Assembly that the Congress government come forward for passing the resolution.
They relented after chief minister K Rosaiah assured that he is not opposed to passing the resolution. He also convened an all-party meeting to discuss the issue.
The members of the Telangana Regional Congress Coordination Committee (TRCCC) of the ruling Congress, who met during the day, also favoured an Assembly resolution over the matter.
Incidentally, it was the Hyderabad free zone issue that helped revive the Telangana agitation in October last year after the Supreme Court declared the state capital a free zone.
The TRS president had announced his decision to go on an indefinite hunger strike for separate Telangana in the wake of the Supreme Court declaring Hyderabad as a free zone in October last year.
The hunger strike eventually led to the upsurge of the agitation for separate Telangana.
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