Andhra govt wants schools to drop fancy tags

If it was the "International" tag that made you pick your children's school in Andhra Pradesh, please begin looking for more reasons to keep them there. For the Andhra Pradesh government wants schools to have simple names and drop misleading tags like "International", "World", "Global" or even "Techno," which hold out the promise of global standards in schooleducation, but may not provide it. Armed with the Right to Education Act, that frowns upon such names, the state government now wants names of schools to only indicate the level at which the school offers an education. The government's argument is that such names are only a ploy to charge higher fees. The Andhra School Education Minister, M.Varaprasad, says, "They have to follow many norms but we find even ordinary schools calling themselves international schools.'' Parents flock to these schools looking for that international edge, but as educationist Isidore Philips points out, "A fancy title would mean your marketability increases, but has it translated into the school becoming really world class? These terms of world class, global, international, techno, concept all need a definition and I think to that extent, the government saying please do not use that is a step in the right direction.'' Corporate schools do not agree. They say the government should not harass schools with genuine international affiliations. According to B Gavish Reddy, Director, Niraj International School: "The schools which are genuine, which are affiliating with foreign bodies, foreign universities and education institutions definitely must be permitted to use the word International.'' Such corporate schools are likely to go to court if the government insists that they drop their fancy tags.

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2 held in Vyshnavi murder case

Two persons have been arrested in connection with the kidnapping and murder of a nine-year-old girl in Vijayawada this week, Andhra Pradesh Home Minister P Sabita Reddy said here on Thursday. "Two persons have been arrested in connection with the kidnapping and killing of Vyshnavi," she told reporters here after meeting the mother of the girl. She, however, refused to divulge further details regarding investigation of the case. Vyshnavi's father P Prabhakar, a prominent liquor businessman, died of shock and heart attack after coming to know about the killing of his daughter. The government would soon decide on setting up a fast track court to try the kidnap and killing of Vyshnavi, the minister said. Chief Minister K Rosaiah had said the government would consider setting up a fast track court to try the case that triggered a public outcry in the state. Vyshnavi was abducted on January 30 while she was going to school along with her brother in a car. The kidnappers killed the car driver, who tried to resist them, while the girl's brother managed to escape from their clutches. The burnt body of Vyshnavi was found in a boiler inside a factory at Autonagar in Guntur, 60 km from Vijaywada on February 1. She was believed to have been murdered on January 30 itself. Reddy said the government would support the driver's family. "I am moved by the condition of driver's family. He has small children. The government is ready to give a job to his wife, if she is ready to take up," Reddy said. There was no failure on the part of the police of Vijayawada and Guntur in dealing with the case, she said. Though Prabhakar did not reveal the possible hand of his relatives in the kidnapping, police managed to identify and arrest the accused, the minister said. Venkat Rao Goud, the brother of Prabhakar's first wife, was reportedly behind the killing of Vyshnavi due to property disputes. The victim is the daughter of Prabhakar's second wife.

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Boat capsizes in Andhra Pradesh; 16 dead

At least 16 persons drowned and 30 others were missing after an overloaded boat capsized in Godavari river in Andhra Pradesh on Saturday morning.

The country-made boat ferrying about 40-50 pilgrims to a temple overturned at around 0630 hours in the morning.

So far 12 bodies, including four children and five women, have been retrieved. Rescue operations have been launched to trace the missing. But authorities fear the toll would go up.

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Telangana state stormed into the Rajiv Gandhi Cricket Stadium

Hyderabad continues to be tense over the Telangana movement.

50 activists in favour of a new Telangana state stormed into the Rajiv Gandhi Cricket Stadium to disrupt a T-20 match between the Hyderabad and Andhra Ranji teams. The protestors say they were objecting to the presence of the Andhra team in Hyderabad.

The Hyderabad Ranji team is drawn from the Telangana region, including Hyderabad; the Andhra team consists of players from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions. The teams were playing in the first Deccan T20 Cup.

Kanish Naidu, who plays for Hyderabad, was disappointed that his sport has not been spared by politics. ``Andhra and Hyderabad is a very crucial match for us. It will be a very exciting match because both the teams are equally good.''

Since November, Andhra Pradesh has been split wide open over whether a new state of Telangana should be created. Initially, all political parties in Andhra Pradesh said they were in favour of this state. After the parties formally pledged their support at a meeting with the Chief Minister, the government sanctioned a new state. Within hours, more than a 100 MLAs from the non-Telangana regions of Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema resigned in protest from the Andhra Assembly. As the state plunged into a political crisis, the Centre puts its decision on hold, and said political parties must arrive at a consensus before any progress is made for the creation of a new state.

This week, Osmania University, which has been the epi-centre of the pro-Telangana movement, has been on edge once again. A student committed suicide as an alleged protest against the delay in the formation of the Telangana state. Angry students refused to let the police escort the dead body off campus. Students want politicians from Telangana to resign till they win some firm commitment on when the new state will be formed.

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వైఎస్‌ మృతిపై విచారణకు మసిపూయటంలో అమెరికా పాత్ర ఉందా?

భారత రాజకీయాల్లో ఉత్తంగతరంగంలా ఎగసిపడుతున్న తరుణంలో డాక్టర్‌ వై.ఎస్‌.రాజశేఖర్‌రెడ్డి ఆకాల మృత్యువుపాలయ్యారు. అది అకాల మృత్యువా..? లేక దాని వెనుక కుట్ర దాగివుందా..? వెయ్యి కోట్ల రూపాయలు చేతులు మారాయి... కోట్ల రూపాయలు చేతులు మారాకే చాల పెద్ద ఎత్తున కుట్ర జరిగింది. ఆ కుట్ర అనంతరమే రాజశేఖర్‌రెడ్డి హత్య గావింపబడ్డారు. అనేవి అనుమానాలు... రోజులు గడుస్తున్న కొద్దీ ఈ అనుమానాలు మరింత బలపడుతున్నాయి. అయితే వీటిని నివృత్తి చేసే దాఖలాలు కనిపించడంలేదు... నెలలు గడుస్తున్నా ఆయన మృతి వెనుక వున్న విచారణ ముందుకు సాగడం లేదు. అసలు రాజశేఖర్‌రెడ్డిని హత్య చేయాల్సిన అవసరం ఎవరికి ఉంది..? ఎందుకు చేశారు..? రాజశేఖర్‌రెడ్డి ఏమి అడిగారని హత్య చేశారు..? రాజకీయాల్లో కుట్రలు ఎవరు చేస్తారు..? మాఫియా

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There is no state called Andhra Pradesh: KCR

K Chandrasekhar Rao, the man behind the Telangana storm, has declared: "There is no more a state called Andhra Pradesh."

In every indication that calling off a 48-hour bandh is only a festive concession and not to be mistaken for a step down, KCR said those in support of a separate Telangana state would now "launch a non-cooperation movement".

But he had a plea: "I appeal to the prime minister not to drag the issue. A lot of blood has been sacrificed and you see how we are all united breaking party barriers. Don't beat our students, don't fire at them." He also requested all ministers from Telangana to quit, lashing out at the Andhra chief minister saying it was "unethical for Rosaiah to continue.

Rejecting the Centre's plan to set up a state reorganization committee to look into the formation of new states, KCR said, "A state reorganisation commission will not be acceptable. It will be an insult to the people of Telangana."

The TRS chief's words come a day after the Centre went back on its promise that it would begin the process for carving out a separate Telangana state from Andhra Pradesh. The Centre's statement yesterday that the situation had changed since its midnight announcement a few weeks ago and that it would now look for consensus on the matter saw KCR resign as MP and declare that he had been "betrayed."

It was the TRS chief's hunger strike in support of a separate Telangana that kicked off the crisis. The Centre, worried over KCR's health at the end of 11 days of fasting had hurriedly okayed a new state. Within hours of that announcement, anti-Telangana protests began and MLAs across parties and from the coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions began first resigning putting the ruling Congress in a spot.

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Resignations over Telangana: Who's in, who's out?

It may be the holiday season, but for Kiran Kumar Reddy, work is more hectic than ever. As Speaker of the Andhra Assembly, he's either receiving or returning resignations from MLAs over the Telangana issue.

On Thursday, it was MLAs from Telangana regions who quit. 30 from the Congress, all 10 from K Chandrasekhar Rao's TRS, two from the BJP, and 39 from Chandrababu Naidu's TDP.

The resignations are, literally, on paper. Reddy has refused to accept them. He says these are emotional rather than rational decisions.

At the heart of the issue is politicians needing to impress their voters with their stand on a new state for Telangana. Earlier this month, more than a 100 MLAs quit because the Centre sanctioned a new Telangana state. These leaders, elected from Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema, claim they don't want Andhra to be split. As the state plunged into a political crisis, the Centre announced on Wednesday that its decision was on hold. Nothing would be done, Home Minister P Chidambaram said, without political consensus and "lengthy" talks.

So now, it's Telangana MLAs who've quit in a huff. Simultaneously, MLAs from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema withdrew their resignations, because they feel they're winning their movement for a "United Andhra."

The Speaker says the en masse resignation drama does not threaten the state government. ``It is an emotional issue. That is why I have not acted on the earlier resignations also. These resignations also I will be reacting only after some time, after emotions are down,'' says Reddy.

The divide over Telangana is in some ways most embarrassing for the Congress since its own members are split down the middle. In Delhi, 12 MPs resigned to protest against the government's revised go-slow approach. However, the fact that they handed their resignations to party president Sonia Gandhi and not to the Speaker of the House, suggests that it was more of a symbolic gesture.

In Andhra, Chief Minister K Rosaiah reportedly suggested a reshuffle in is Cabinet to accommodate more Telangana representatives, and therefore appease the rebels in his party. No interest, apparently, from the target audience. "Nobody is interested to become minister because Telangana is a heartburning issue for the people,'' declared G Venkatramana Reddy, the Congress MLA from Karimnagar.

When the Centre announced a new state earlier this month, it based its decision on an all-party meeting held in Andhra. There, all major political parties agreed to support a resolution for the bifurcation of Andhra. They changed their minds hours after the Centre went public with its decision. Left in the lurch: the ruling Congress party in Andhra, and its leaders in Delhi.

The TRS has called off its 48-hour bandh for Christmas, but has warned the Centre that its latest plan to set up a states reorganisation committee is not acceptable. The Centre is planning to set up such a committee to pacify regions demanding separate states in the country.

Smarting from the Centre's statement putting a separate Telangana state on hold, and in words that showed no climb-down, TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao said a states reorganization committee would be "an insult to the people of Telangana."

The TRS called off its bandh soon after protesting students were lathicharged at Osmania University. KCR said: "I appeal to the prime minister not to drag the issue...a lot of blood has been sacrificed...you see how we are all united breaking party barriers...don't beat our students , don't fire at them."

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Osmania erupts again, TRS calls off bandh

After the Centre was forced to do a u-turn on Telangana, Thursday began on a tense note as Andhra Pradesh braced for another round of violence. The violence did begin, but K Chandrasekhar Rao soon called off the two-day bandh his party had announced to protest against the Centre's statement putting a separate Telangana state on hold.

The TRS said it had called off the bandh for Christmas. The move came even as the Centre said it was considering setting up a state reorganization commission to pacify regions in the country demanding separate states.

The TRS move also came soon after protesting students were lathicharged at OsmaniaUniversity. KCR said: "I appeal to the prime minister not to drag the issue...a lot of blood has been sacrificed...you see how we are all united breaking party barriers...don't beat our students , don't fire at them."

Ten MLAs of the TRS resigned on Wednesday even as the Centre announced it was putting statehood for Telangana on hold. Two Praja Rajyam Party MLAs have quit and 12 Congress MLAs have submitted their resignations to the Speaker. TRS village sarpanches too plan to resign today.

In Delhi, all the 12 Congress MPs from the Telangana region have announced their decision to hand their resignations to Congress President Sonia Gandhi in protest against the Centre's statement that the situation in Andhra Pradesh has "altered" since it announced steps to form Telangana earlier this month. Home Minister P Chidambaram made a brief statement last night saying wide-ranging consultations would be held on the issue as a large number of parties are sharply divided on it.

In its Telangana statement, the Centre, which is now considering setting up a state reorganisation committee to look into carving out new states, has called for consensus and harmony. But of which are likely to remain elusive in a state that has been tense for most of this month, with almost-daily clashes between pro and anti-Telangana supporters.

For the ruling Congress, it's the beginning of yet another chapter in a prolonged nightmare. It had announced the formation of a new Telangana state under intense pressure. Now, again under pressure, the party has been forced to put the Telangana statehood issue on hold. Instantly, the focus has shifted back to K Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR), the man who began it all with his hunger strike for a separate Telangana. That 11-day fast is credited with forcing the central government to make its shock midnight announcement okaying a new state.

KCR, who along with another TRS MP Vijayshanti has resigned from the Lok Sabha, said the people of Telangana had been betrayed once again. His party has called for a 48-hour bandh that began today, The authorities have braced for violence that expectedly began immediately after the Centre's new statement, with protesters throwing stones at RTC and private buses plying near the Osmania University campus on Wednesday.

On Thursday, Hundreds of students raising 'Jai Telangana' slogans took to streets and resorted to road-blockades. As protesting students went on the rampage at Osmania University, the heart of the pro-Telangana movement, police resorted to lathicharge and teargassing. There's a heavy police presence in the University campus.

There were reports of many trains being stopped in Warangal. Pro-Telangana activists also disrupted the national kabaddi championship in Nalgonda. A power plant at Karimnagar belonging to former chief minister YSR's son Jaganmohan Reddy, was also attacked.

Jaganmohan is being seen as having incited anti-Telangana protests. Speaking on the NDTV programme The Buck Stops Here, Congress MP Madhu Yakshi who is in favour of a separate Telangana, blamed the lobby led by Jaganmonhan Reddy for fuelling anti-Telangana protests.

Those protests had started with the Centre's earlier announcement that a separate Telangana state would be carved out of Andhra Pradesh.

While it had got KCR to end his fast and call off the pro-Telangana protests, MLAs from across political parties, including the Congress, belonging to the coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions handed in their resignations. Chief Minister K Roasaih was forced to distance himself from the Centre's decision, claiming that his party leaders had not consulted him.

Opposition leaders Chandrababu Naidu and Chiranjeevi did a quick u-turn. After pledging their support to a new state, they said they were changing their minds, as their parties faced the very real danger of splitting. Chiranjeevi resigned as an MLA, taking "moral responsibility" for his change in policy.

Taking their cue from KCR's fast, several other leaders went on a hunger strike to demand a 'United Andhra'. Most visible among them, L Rajagopal, the Congress MP from Vijayawada, who was arrested earlier this week after his health deteriorated. He was rushed to a Vijayawada hospital from where he orchestrated an "escape" while 300 policemen were on guard. He then reappeared in Hyderabad 15 hours later, pulling up in an auto rickshaw to the Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences. Rajagopal sprinted into his hospital and hopped into bed. The government wanted to keep him away from the capital, worried that his arrival would lead to violent protests.

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Has Centre put Telangana aside ?

The Centre is expected to delay the move for a separate Telangana state and will issue a statement on Wednesday, sources say.

The statement is likely to exhort parties to restore peace in the state. And point out that the announcement on December 9, that a separate Telangana state would be created, was made keeping in mind that all parties had said they would support such a move, the sources said.

All parties, including the Congress, have found themselves split down the middle on the Telangana issue. Parties like the TDP and the Praja Rajyam Party, that had pledged open support to a Telangana state earlier, were forced to do a turnaround.

The statement, the sources said, would call for further discussions with all sides, but remain committed to the principle of Telangana.

On Wednesday, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee first held a meeting with the Congress' top leaders including Defence Minister AK Antony and Home Minister P Chidambaram. Mukherjee then met with Congress MPs from Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema, the two regions of Andhra that are firmly opposed to a bifurcation of the state - 146 MLAs in Andhra have resigned over the proposed split.

On Tuesday, K Chadrasekhar Rao, or KCR as he's known, threatened a 100 pro-Telangana MLAs are ready to resign if the government reverses its decision. KCR, who heads the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) is the centre of the Telangana state movement. An 11-day fast by him earlier this month is credited with forcing the central government to make a shock midnight announcement okaying a new state.

The whiplash was immediate and severe. MLAs from different political parties, including the Congress, handed in their resignations. Chief Minister K Roasaih was forced to distance himself from the Centre's decision, claiming that he had not been consulted by his party leaders.

Opposition leaders Chandrababu Naidu and Chiranjeevi did a quick u-turn. After pledging their support to a new state, they said they were changing their minds, as their parties faced the very real danger of splitting. Chiranjeevi resigned as an MLA, taking "moral responsibility" for his change in policy.

Andhra has been tense for most of this month, with almost-daily clashes between pro and anti-Telangana supporters. Taking their cue from KCR's fast, several other leaders went on a hunger strike to demand a "United Andhra." Most-visible among them, L Rajagopal, the Congress MP from Vijayawada, who was arrested earlier this week after his health deteriorated. He was rushed to a Vijayawada hospital from where he orchestrated an "escape" while 300 policemen were on guard. He then reappeared in Hyderabad 15 hours later, pulling up in an auto rickshaw to the Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences. Rajagopal sprinted into his hospital and hopped into bed. The government wanted to keep him away from the capital, worried that his arrival would lead to violent protests.

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Can we expect a decision on Telangana today?

Can a decision on the Telangana issue be expected today?

MPs from coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema regions say they have an assurance from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that he will hold discussions with hisCabinet colleagues and try to find a solution to the Telangana issue by Tuesday.

Worried over what seems like an endless crisis, the 10-member delegation of Andhra MPs met Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on Monday.

Andhra Pradesh, which had been on the boil for days before the Centre's announcement with violent protests to demand a separate Telangana state, has seen equal unrest after. Now, politicians and citizens are up in arms against the move to divide the state.

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Telangana backlash: Andhra Pradesh plunges into political crisis

Friday December 11, 2009, Hyderabad

Andhra Pradesh is now deeply divided over the Centre's decision to carve out a separate state of Telangana. The state is now in the grip of a political crisis with 43 MLAs of the ruling Congress resigning. More are likely to resign today. Costal Andhra and Rayalaseema are up in arms against the formation of Telangana; a bandh has been called in Rayalaseema today. Students from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema have now launched a counter agitation. They staged demonstrations yesterday with the protesters turning violent in several areas. It's now a bitter battle for Hyderabad as the TRS says there can be no Telangana without the city. Industry is now deeply worried about Hyderabad's brand .

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WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON ?

What the hell is going on in Andhra Pradesh ? Every one got fever of seperating the state . Every one are thinking as joke. Till yesterday the students of the universities i=of telangana did strikes annd other bullshit and today the students of rayalaseema and andhra are doing strikes . As i'm student and pursuing my B.tech of the region coastal andhra , my exam for tomorrow is postponed and the hell hardwork gon avain and the students i think it was not the issue of students , it belongs to Government . We students wasting our times and some of us wasting our lives . There are many officials to do that .

This is a very kind request to all of u my friends. Please Quit the strikes and continue ur studies .

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Chandrababu: Andhra has become laughing stock

Thursday December 10, 2009, Hyderabad

At a press conference in Hyderabad on Thursday, Chandrababu Naidu slammed the Congress for granting a separate state of Telangana. Naidu said, "Hyderabad's credibility has been hit, nobody will invest here. Andhra Pradesh has become a laughing stock." Many of Naidu's MLAs are among those that have resigned on Thursday morning over the Centre's decision.

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