Telangana Conceded, Govt Says People Feel Neglected Despite Same Language
A day after announcement of creating separate Telangana state, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has said that the demand for separate Telanganana state in Andhra Pradesh shows that how people feel neglected despite same language.
“Last night (Wednesday) the government announced initiating the process of formation of Telangana. The region is a good example of how people feel neglected despite speaking same language,” he told reporters.
Responding to query about the possible impact of state formation, the minister said: “The US has one-third of our population still it has 50 states.”
Condition of TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao who has been on fast-unto-death over the demand for last eleven days, had deteriorated badly and the Centre, following pressures and fears, decided to approve creation of separate Telangana. KCR broke his fast following announcement by the government. As per announcement, separate Telanagana state will be formed out of 10 districts of Andhra Pradesh.
The announcement said that the process of the formation of a Telangana state would be initiated and an appropriate resolution moved in the state Assembly. The Centre, however, did not give any timeline for the creation of the state.
The government made the announcement following after hectic consultations among top Congress leaders – Chief Minister K Rosaiah also flew in from Hyderabad – and negotiations with the TRS leadership.
While the announcement is expected to end the immediate political crisis, there are many loose ends to be tied. While the Assembly is expected to send a resolution to the Centre shortly, New Delhi has not made any commitment on any timeline for creation of a separate state.
The ambiguity over a timeline reflected the Centre’s reluctance to open a Pandora’s Box given the spate of demands for separate states in different parts of the country. In Andhra Pradesh itself, there are demands for the creation of separate states of north-coastal Andhra and Rayalseema.
With the Telangana protests boiling over, the Congress in Andhra Pradesh also stood divided – party MPs from Telangana supported the demand for a separate state while those from other regions opposed it saying it would lead to demands for separate north-coastal Andhra and Rayalseema. Over a dozen MPs from the Telangana region met the PM, demanding a separate state. Fifteen Congress MPs from the region too wrote to Sonia Gandhi with the same demand.
