The Hindu : Arrests widely condemned

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Feb 01, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

Arrests widely condemned

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD Jan. 31. The alleged arrests of leaders of agitating Singareni Collieries Company Limited workers unions and political party representatives by the police at Godavarikhani in Karimnagar district on Friday evoked strong criticism from political parties and trade unions.

The arrests were only aimed at foiling the proposed public meeting being organised at Godavarikhani by Opposition parties expressing solidarity with the ongoing agitation of SCCL workers, they alleged.

Stating that the police, at the behest of SCCL management were adopting "repressive measures'' against workers, they urged the Government to immediately release the leaders and lift "the false cases'' registered against them.

Immediately as the news of arrests spread, a delegation of the Andhra Pradesh State council of the CPI led by the party's State council secretary, S. Sudhakara Reddy, called on the Home Minister, T. Devender Goud, urging him to give permission to the public meeting.

They also requested the Home Minister to take steps to restart the negotiations with the agitating workers.

Mr. Goud, the CPI said in a press release, assured the delegation that he would take up the issue with the Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu.

Meanwhile, expressing solidarity with the ongoing strike, the Reserve Bank of India Employees Association said the workers took to strike only after all other avenues for negotiations were closed.

Alleging that the State Government was pursuing the path of privatisation at the behest of the World Bank, the association secretary, P.V. Seshaiah, alleged in a separate press release that instead of backtracking from its "ill-motivated'' move of privatisation, the Government was resorting to "repressive measures'' like using police force on agitating workers and others supporting them. Condemning "the negligent attitude'' of the Government in solving the just demands of the miners, the Hyderabad city committee of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions said it would burn the effigies of the State Government at different places in the city tomorrow in support of the ongoing strike by the workers.

Alleging that the Government was trying to privatise the SCCL, the general secretary of CITU Hyderabad committee, J Venkatesh, cautioned people against the efforts of the Government to "hoodwink'' them.

The Progressive Organisation of Women also condemned the arrests.

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