Employees reacted vociferously to State government’s decision to invoke the AP Essential Services and Maintenance Act (ESMA), 1971, against striking Seemandhra employees here on Sunday.
The employees, who staged a dharna under the aegis of the APNGOs Association in front of Sub Collector’s office here, asserted that the government cannot scare them with ESMA or new GOs. They, however, demanded that the government withdraw the ESMA.
Notwithstanding the ESMA, the AP Treasury and Accounts Services, Pay and Accounts, Pay and Accounts Subordinate Services, and AP Works Accounts Service would continue to participate in the agitation.
The question of attending to duties did not arise. Above all, the employees of all cadres would join the strike from Monday onwards. The Rural Water Supply Engineers Association also decided to join the strike from August 20, they said.
APNGOs Association Krishna district leader A. Vidyasagar sought to know why elected representatives from the region remained silent when the government invoked ESMA. Their counterparts in Telangana reacted acerbically when the government invoked ESMA during ‘Sakala Janula Samme’. Ministers, MPs, and MLAs staged dharna opposing ESMA there. On the contrary, Seemandhra leaders were silent, he pointed out.
TDP State secretary Gottipati Ramakrishna Prasad, who extended solidarity, said lawyers already boycotted courts. Except cases pertaining to Samaikyandhra agitations, the lawyers would not take up any other case.
Invoking of ESMA was an undemocratic move. The government wanted to suppress the voice of the people and the agitation, he said.
In the morning, municipal employees staged a protest near VMC main office. VMC employees association leader D. Eswar said the government was adopting pressure tactics. The employees, however, would not budge, he said.
