Telangana, Andhra Pradesh staff divided over Section 8

Hyderabad: The controversy surrounding Section 8 has not only led to a political conflict between Telangana and AP governments but has also widened the fissure between TS and AP employees. On Wednesday, the AP government claimed its rights over the MCRHRD Institute in Jubilee Hills and appointed Mukesh Kumar Meena as the DG of Institute of Good Governance, which operates from the same premises. MCRHRDI has been listed under Schedule X of AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, to offer common services to both TS and AP.

The TS government had earlier appointed Ramakrishna Rao as DG of IGG. TS is now raising severe objections over the appointment of Mr Meena saying it is ‘unilateral’ and AP has no power to appoint him.

However, AP dismissed this argument stating that it’s a common institute which has to offer services to both the states and it has every right to make the appointments. On the other hand, leaders of TS employees’ associations on Wednesday met Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and discussed their plans of going on an indefinite strike to protest Section 8.

They also demanded that the TS government not grant permission to APNGOs to conduct public meetings in the city in support of Section 8. They brought to the notice of Mr Rao that they had information that APNGOs are planning to hold a huge public meeting with the aim of creating tension in the city. TS employees observed protests during lunch hour on Wednesday in front of all the offices and raised slogans against the AP government.