Strongly supporting the creation of separate Telangana, the BJP on Friday took on the Congress for “betraying” the people of the region by going back on its promise despite “countless suicides and successful strikes” by pro-Telangana activists.
“We want both Telangana and Seemandhra regions to co-exist peacefully and prosper. We are providing a blank cheque. Let the government bring the resolution, we will pass it,” BJP member Prakash Javadekar said, moving a private members’ resolution for creation of Telangana, in the Rajya Sabha.
Citing the assurance given by the Congress in its Common Minimum Programme about creation of Telangana, Mr Javadekar said even Home Minister P. Chidambaram in December 2009 had said that the process of formation of the State “has begun” but two-and-a- half years have passed since then.
‘No clear stand’
“Till now the Congress has not been able to make its stand clear…nor will they ever do so,” he said. In this regard, he criticised the party for seeking the views of other political parties when they themselves were silent on the issue.
The BJP leader also ridiculed moves to set up one committee after another when the UPA’s intention on the issue remained unclear. “Over 700 students have committed suicide in the region and there was a 42-day strike participated by one and all, but even then the UPA has failed to take a stand,” he said.
Mr. Javadekar said the genesis for creation of Telangana goes back to the days of the first States Reorganisation Commission (SRC) which had recognised Telangana as a potential separate State.
Thereafter, there was a Gentleman’s Agreement between Telangana and Andhra leaders to safeguard the interests of Telangana region and a Six-Point formula was evolved. But, all these had failed to fulfil the aspirations of the people of Telangana. In between, the Rosaiah Committee was set up.
On the Srikrishna Committee, he said six recommendations were placed by the committee but the suggestions had remained elusive. a.
Purushottam Kodabhai Rupala (BJP) said his party is willing to give the entire credit to the Congress if separate Telangana is created. People of Telangana are anguished because the government is not providing any solution to the issue.
Favouring smaller States, Narendra Kumar Kashyap (BSP) said the government should understand the sentiments of the agitators and take a positive decision.
Shivanand Tiwari (JD-U) blamed the Congress for not learning from past mistakes and asked the party to gather courage to resolve this matter. Stressing that the government should not allow the situation to go out of control in Andhra Pradesh, Mr Tiwari said just as Gujarat was carved out of Maharashtra, separate Telangana should be created. D. Bandyopadhay (Trinamool) appealed to leaders of Telangana to resolve the issue amicably and not through emotion.
Devender Goud’s warning
T. Devender Goud (TDP) made a strong case for formation of separate Telangana and asked the Centre to bring a Bill for granting statehood to the region. He charged the Congress-led UPA government with playing “politics” over the Telangana issue and said people of the region will teach them a lesson in the coming elections.
Biswajit Daimary (Bodoland People’s Front) supported the demand for separate Telangana, saying smaller States were better governed. He took the opportunity to demand a separate State of Bodoland.
Speaking in favour of the Telangana demand, Bhagat Singh Koshiyari (BJP) said experience shows that smaller States make rapid progress and cited the high GDP growth of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. V. Hanumantha Rao (Cong.) also spoke in favour of Telangana. [PTI]