Shabbir Ali backs jobless students stir, slams KCR

Hyderabad, Oct 20 (INN): Demanding that the State Government immediately resolve the issues concerning unemployed students, the Telangana Congress on Monday announced its full support to the agitation launched by Telangana Unemployed Students JAC at Osmania University.

Addressing a massive dharna launched by the JAC in OU Campus here, Deputy CLP leader in Legislative Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir accused Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao of ignoring the welfare of students' community which played the lead role in formation of Telangana State.

He said several students sacrificed their careers for the sake of statehood agitation. They faced lathicharge, arrests and multiple cases during the Telangana movement. However, KCR has completely sidelined the students immediately after the formation of Telangana.

Shabbir said that the Telangana Congress fully supports the JAC's demand for constitution of Telangana Public Service Commission, issuing of job notifications and cancellation of contract jobs, as promised by the TRS during elections.

He said that the students deserve better treatment and should be provided jobs in the new State. He criticised the Chief Minister for giving preference to betrayers of Telangana over those poor students who risked their lives and careers for the statehood cause.

The Congress leader recalled that AICC President Sonia Gandhi had agreed to grant statehood for Telangana primarily due to the agitation and suicide of students.

He said Sonia Gandhi was concerned about students' welfare and therefore, she gave her consent for Telangana in 2009 itself when the agitation by OU and KU students was at its peak. He said it was students' agitation and not KCR's hunger strike that convinced the Congress Government on Telangana.

Therefore, instead of giving himself and his family a heroic treatment, KCR should honour students' by fulfilling all the promises that he made with them.

Shabbir Ali said that unemployed students should be provided jobs on the basis of merit. Citing instances, he said as the then Energy Minister had undertook two major recruitment drives.

While nearly 7,000 vacancies of Junior Lineman were filled, about 300 Assistant Engineers' posts were filled without any legal complications. He said thousands of students participated in Telangana movement with the confidence that they would get new jobs in the new State. Therefore, the State Government should fulfill their aspirations by providing them jobs without further delay.

The Congress leader assured the students that his party would make representation with Governor ESL Narasimhan on their demands.

Later, he also participated in the novel protest wherein students had their lunch on the main road opposite Arts College building in OU Campus.