Daily Times India

Ranchi, Mar 18(ANI): Tribals in Ranchi on Thursday celebrated ‘Sarhul’, a festival marking the beginning of New Year, by worshipping trees. (more…)

Hyderabad, March 18 (IANS) In a moral victory for protagonists of a separate Telangana, the Andhra Pradesh legislative assembly Thursday passed a resolution seeking an amendment to a Presidential Order to protect jobs for Telangana people in the police department in Hyderabad.

The one-line resolution moved by Chief Minister K. Rosaiah was unanimously passed with a voice vote amid protests by the Praja Rajyam Party (PRP). Deputy Speaker N. Manohan adjourned the house after announcing that the resolution was passed with a voice vote.

Opposing the resolution, PRP legislators rushed to the podium demanding a debate.

Legislators of the ruling Congress and main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) did not oppose the resolution.

The resolution is being seen as a moral victory of Telangana protagonists, who complain of injustice to people of the region in appointments to government jobs.

Earlier, the chief minister had to convince the ruling Congress legislators from Andhra and Rayalaseema regions not to oppose the resolution as his predecessor Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy had taken a decision to oppose Hyderabad as a free zone.

Through the resolution, the assembly has urged the union home ministry to seek the president’s assent for amendment to clause 14 F of the Presidential Ordinance of 1975.

The amendment will ensure that Hyderabad remains part of the sixth zone along with other Telangana districts for recruitment to the police department.

The resolution was passed to overcome a Supreme Court judgment declaring Hyderabad as free zone for recruitment to the police department. This means that people from Andhra and Rayalaseema regions can also be recruited in the police department in Hyderabad.

The judgment evoked sharp reaction from legislators cutting across party lines and they demanded amendment to protect the interests of the Telangana people.

An all-party meeting convened by the chief minister Wednesday evening had agreed to the demand for passing the resolution.

The decision came a day after the Supreme Court refused to admit a petition of the state government, seeking a review of its earlier order declaring Hyderabad a free zone for recruitment in the police department.

Meanwhile, Congress MP from Vijayawada L. Rajagopal met Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan to oppose amendment to the Presidential Order.

Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao, who had revived the movement for separate statehood to Telangana following the Supreme Court order last year, had warned the government of serious consequences if it failed to protect the interests of Telangana people.

In October last year, the Supreme Court declared that Hyderabad was not a part of Telangana but a free zone as far as recruitments and postings in government were concerned.

Telangana, which comprises 10 districts, including Hyderabad, was merged with then Andhra State in 1956 to form Andhra Pradesh. But the people of Telangana were given certain safeguards in appointments under the Gentlemen’s Agreement of 1956 and a subsequent Presidential Order and six-point formula.

The latest judgment comes at a time when a five-member committee headed by Justice Srikrishna is looking into the issue of statehood for Telangana.

Colombo, Mar.18 (ANI): Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has ruled out an early pardon for his defeated presidential rival and former army chief General Sarath Fonseka. (more…)

Ranchi, March 18 (IANS) Maoist guerrillas Thursday blew up an electricity tower in East Singhbhum district of Jharkhand, cutting off power supply to many parts of the state, police said.

Ten to 15 Maoists destroyed the tower of the Damodar Valley Corp at Dhanbhumghar block, around 145 km from here. Jamshedpur city was the worst hit, officials said.

London, March 18 (ANI): Dingo is the world’s oldest breed of dog, according to a new study. (more…)

London, Mar 18 (ANI): A study has found that one in seven female students in the UK has been the victim of a serious sexual or physical assault, with many of the incidents often not reported to the police. (more…)

Melbourne, Mar.18 (ANI): A new report has said that there is a need for a major overhaul in investigations of police brutality and racism in the Australian state of Victoria. (more…)

New York, March 18 (ANI): Summit studios have reportedly approached Bill Condon, Sofia Coppola and Gus Van Sant to helm the final ‘Twilight’ flick. (more…)

London, March 18 (ANI): A new research has indicated that when the world’s shipping lines will radically cut sulphur emissions from ships, they will ironically increase global warming. (more…)

Lahore, Mar.18 (ANI): Following the recovery of a huge cache of arms and explosives from different part of Lahore, security agencies are planning a massive operation to bust ‘militant hubs’ situated in the outskirts of the provincial capital. (more…)