News APP

NewsApp (Free)

Read news as it happens
Download NewsApp

Available on  gplay

Rediff.com  » News » Andhra simmers over Centre's terms on Telangana

Andhra simmers over Centre's terms on Telangana

By Mohammed Siddique
February 12, 2010 16:13 IST
Get Rediff News in your Inbox:

The seven-point terms of reference of Sirkrishna committee announced by the central government has plunged Andhra Pradesh into a political uncertainty and pro-Telangana groups have given a call for strike in the region on Saturday.

In an angry reaction to "unfavourable" terms of reference, Telangana Rashtra Samiti has decided that both its members of Lok Sabha and all the ten MLAs will tender their resignations on Saturday.

TRS President K Chandrasekhar Rao has also urged the MPs and legislators of other parties to follow suit and immediately quit the membership of assembly and Parliament as terms of reference were a betrayal with the people of Telangana. 

The Students Joint Action Committee of Osmania University in Hyderabad and all party Telangana Joint Action Committee have also rejected the terms of reference. Students JAC has given a call for strike on Saturday.

The Telangana JAC will meet in Hyderabad on Saturday to finalise its future course of action. Telugu Desam Party leaders from Telangana have said that they will also finalise their strategy after consulting the TJAC.

What has angered the pro-Telangana parties and leaders was that the Centre has asked the panel to look in both the demands of separate Telangana state and integrated Andhra Pradesh state. They were also unhappy with the time frame of 10 months given to the committee.

"These terms of reference are not in accordance with the spirit of the December 9 statement of the Union Home Minister P Chidambaram," TJAC convenor Prof Kodanda Ram said.

Senior Telangana legislator of the TDP Nagam Janardhan Reddy said there was no reason for the central government to include the issue of united Andhra Pradesh in the terms of reference of the committee.

"If that was the option, where is the need for all this exercise", he asked.

He alleged that Congress MPs from Telangana region failed in pressurizing the central government to frame terms of reference favourable to Telangana.

State Congress president D Srinivas, however, welcomed the terms of reference of the committee and urged the party men to maintain discipline and cooperate with the Srirkishna commission.

He also asked them not to fall in the trap of the opposition parties by talking of resignations because Centre was keen to resolve the Telangana issue.

But other Congress leaders from Telangana region have also come out against the terms of reference.

"These terms of reference are the result of the lobbying and pressure tactics of the lobby of Andhra and Rayala Seema leaders", he said.

The opinion among the leaders of Andhra and Rayala Seema leaders was also divided.

While R Sambasiva Rao, Congress leader from Guntur, welcomed the terms of reference saying it was not against any region and it should be acceptable to all, P Keshav of TDP said that this was not the right time to under taken such an exercise as people were emotion and angry.

Telugu Desam Party legislator from Vijaywada D Umamaheshwara Rao has rejected the terms of reference saying it was a conspiracy to divide the state.
Get Rediff News in your Inbox:
Mohammed Siddique Hyderabad