Yet another controversy broke out between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states here on Monday when Chief Commissioner of Land Administration, Government of Andhra Pradesh Chandana Khan was prevented from entering the premises of Dr. YSR National Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management (YSR NITHM) located in Gachbowli here by police personnel.
Telangana State officials maintained that as the institute was located in Hyderabad and a new governing council has been formed, it belonged to the Government of Telangana. Any services to the State of AP would be extended by entering into a Memorandum of Understanding, officials remarked.
The NITHM is one of the institutions which was one among the 107 institutes placed in the 10th schedule to extend common services to both the states for an agreed period between the two State governments. However, these institutes became bone of contention between both the States when Telangana government started staking claim over some of the properties, while the AP Government contended that any bifurcation of 10th schedule institutes should be done with mutual consent as per the AP Reorganisation Act.
On Monday morning, Ms. Chandana Khan went to the institute, the police officers posted there asked her to go back citing a law and order situation stating there were protests on the premises. Ms Khan however refused to turn back and proceeded to the gate of the campus only to find that it was locked.
She claimed that the situation was calm and peaceful except for presence of a large posse of police personnel. Speaking to The Hindu , she said the police did not let her enter the premises and she objected to the unilateral decision and conducted the meeting with the governing council members on the road and left the premises.
Monday's controversy comes close on the heels of two similar instances in which AP and TS Governments adopted confrontationist attitude.
The first issue arose when a senior bureaucrat of AP Government B. Sam Bob, being prevented from entering the premises of National Academy of Construction (NAC) for which he was appointed as the director general. The TS Government had earlier appointed another IAS officer as Director General of NAC.
Similarly, constitution of Telangana State Council of Higher Education (TSCHE) although AP State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE) is in place also led to another controversy. Both APSCHE and TSCHE want to take up Eamcet counselling for admission into engineering courses.
