With the Secretariat for the last 25 days becoming the centre stage for protest rallies against the Congress party’s decision to bifurcate the State, the government issued instructions to the service associations not to resort to any activity that would bring down the decorum of the institution.
Chief Secretary P.K. Mohanty, in a memo issued on Saturday, asked all the registered and recognised service associations in the Secretariat not to use any type of public address systems or resort to playing games, beating drums and other disturbing activities on the premises.
The government also said no outsiders be allowed to address the gatherings on the Secretariat premises. Violation of the above instructions would be viewed seriously as per the Andhra Pradesh Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1964 and procedure laid down in Andhra Pradesh Civil Services (CCA) Rules, 1991, the memo said. The employees however continued with their protest programme on Monday and organised a lunch-hour meeting followed by a rally and raised slogans demanding rollback of the UPA’s decision and resignation of Seemandhra Ministers. They however did not use the public address system during the rally in the wake of the instructions. Since the Congress Working Committee announced its decision on State bifurcation on July 30, employees opposing what they called the unilateral decision had been taking out lunch-hour protest rallies and staging dharnas to express their resentment under the banner of the Secretariat Seemandhra Employees’ Forum. A variety of programmes including a blood donation camp were organised so far in support of the demand to keep the State united.
The Telangana Coordination Committee too organised a counter peace rally last week seeking cooperation of the Seemandhra employees for creation of Telangana State.
The government had already invoked ESMA Act against some departments such as Treasury, Pay &Accounts, Education, Medical and Health, Electricity Departments and brought into force GO 177 for implementing ‘No work, No pay’ rules. The Secretariat Seemandhra Employees’ Forum also served a notice to the government that they would go on an indefinite strike from September 2.
The APNGOs and other service associations including revenue, RTC, teachers in the 13 districts of Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema have already been on indefinite strikes from August 12 against the decision to divide the State.
