Will protect industry in aftermath of report on Telangana: Rosaiah

HYDERABAD - Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K. Rosaiah Thursday assured the industry that the government would protect its interests after the Justice B.N. Srikrishna committee submits its report on the demand for a separate Telangana state.

Addressing captains of industry here, the chief minister said the government would take all steps to maintain law and order after the committee submits its report.

His assurance came in response to apprehensions voiced by some industrialists in view of the threats by pro-Telangana groups of a massive movement in January.

The five-member committee, constituted by the central government in February to look into the demand for and against separate statehood to Telangana, is scheduled to submit its report by Dec 31.

The Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) has already warned of trouble in the region if the report does not come in favour of a separate Telangana state.

“Whatever may be the committee’s report, I assure you that the government will try to protect, to the best of its ability, the interests of the industry,” Rosaiah told industrialists at an interactive session organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), southern regional council.

“I am confident that the centre while taking a decision (on the report of Srikrishna committee) will keep in mind the interests of people, industry and investors,” the chief minister said.

He hoped that the decision would be “cautious” and “justifiable”.

Addressing the national executive committee meeting of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) last month, Rosaiah had assured that steps would be taken to ensure that the agitation does not come in the way of development.

The industry is worried over the impact the Srikrishna committee report might have on the industrial climate, especially in and around Hyderabad.

The agitations for separate Telangana and later against the state’s proposed bifurcation late last year and early this year had badly affected the industry.

Repeated shutdowns and the violence in Hyderabad, other parts of Telangana and also in the Andhra and the Rayalaseema regions had hit the business and industry hard.