JAC threatens tax boycott

The convenor of the Joint Action Committee spearheading the agitation for Telangana on Friday warned the outfit might resort to non-cooperation movement if the Centre failed to meet its January 28 deadline for declaring a separate state. The non-cooperation movement would be in the form of not cooperating with the adminstration and the people not paying their taxes or fees, convenor, Mr C. Kodandaram said. He said MPs, MLAs and MLCs from Telangana region would quit their posts after January 28 as per the deadline set by the JAC to the Centre.

Meanwhile, Congress leaders from Telangana on Friday expressed their displeasure over criticism of the party from others fighting for the statehood. Ahead of JAC meeting this evening, Congress MLAs and MLCs from Telangana region met among themselves separately and decided to shoot off a letter to the Committee’s convener listing some suggestions for its functioning.

Senior Congress MLA, Mr R. Damodar Reddy, said the message should go to the rank and file of all parties that they should not indulge in mutual criticism and mud-slinging. At the JAC meeting, Congress was represented by MLC, Mr B.V. Mohan Reddy, who handed over the suggestions to Kodandaram.

Senior leaders of the ruling party did not attend the meeting as they had to attend another meeting, Kodandaram said. Mr Damodar Reddy announced the party legislators would visit Delhi on January 26 and meet all top leaders on separate Telangana demand.