Hyderabad: The stalemate over the Telangana
lawyers' agitation continued late tonight even as Andhra
Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah maintained government would
ensure "equal justice" was done to all regions in appointment
of law officers in the Andhra Pradesh High Court.
The Chief Minister reportedly told Information Minister
and member of the cabinet sub-committee looking into
appointment of law officers, J Geeta Reddy, late tonight that
the government would not discriminate among regions in the
appointments.
"We shall go as per the Constitution of India and see
that equal justice is done to all three regions of the state,"
Rosaiah is understood to have told Geeta Reddy.
The Information Minister, however, did not speak to
journalists after her meeting with the Chief Minister at his
residence.
Earlier, Geeta Reddy held talks with the agitating
Telangana lawyers at the Secretariat in the evening on the
mediation of Congress MPs G Vivekananda and Madhu Yashki Goud.
The lawyers placed three main demands before the
government -- immediate replacement of the state Advocate
General with a person from Telangana, implementation of 42
per cent quota for the region in the appointment of law
officers in the High Court and withdrawal of criminal cases
filed against the agitating lawyers.
Geeta Reddy later went to the Chief Minister's residence
to brief him about her talks with the lawyers and the demands
raised.
Talking to reporters at the end of the meeting with Geeta
Reddy, Telangana Lawyers Joint Action Committee convenor M
Rajender Reddy said they would continue their agitation till
the demands were met.
"We hope to get a positive response from the government,"
he said.
Rajender Reddy disputed the cabinet sub-committee's claim
that lawyers from Telangana region got a lion's share of law
officers' posts in the High Court.
"At least 46 posts of government pleaders and standing
counsel were given to lawyers from Andhra-Rayalaseema regions
with addresses in Hyderabad. That can't be included in the
Telangana quota," he said.
Meanwhile, Madhu Yashki told PTI that they were hopeful
of a positive outcome on the whole issue.
"We want to end the lawyers' agitation and also the
fast-unto-death by three advocates. We are very serious about
it," he said.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, September 18, 2010, 00:57