The political parties reacted in a different fashion to Sankranti festivities this year. The principal opposition party, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and YSR Congress made use of Bhogi to drive home the message that the people were opposing the division of the State tooth and nail.
In Bhogi fire, generally, the people burn old agricultural and household waste with a belief that new things would be ushered into their lives. But, they burnt the bill copies in Bhogi ‘mantalu’(bonfires), set on streets as part of Sankranti celebrations.
The season of Sankranti reaps happiness and hope for many. It is usually preceded by smoke on the day of Bhogi, where burning of wastes signifies an important ritual. By burning the bill in Bhogi fire, people showed their opposition to the bifurcation, the leaders said.
TDP Urban vice president Lukka Sairam Goud said that TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu alone could protect the interests of Samaikyandhra. He said that TRS MLA T. Harish Rao had insulted a police constable and Gade Venkat Reddy, an MLA from Andhra region, was pushed and shoved in Assembly. The TDP government alone could put an end to these atrocities, he added.
YSR Congress city official spokesperson Tadi Sakuntala and others burnt the Telangana Bill copies in front of party office at Sitarampuram here. They raised slogans, 'Jai Samaikyandhra' withdraw 'Telangana draft Bill'.
Ms.Sakuntala said that the Telangana Bill has watered down the festive mood of the Telugus. The government has not honoured the sentiments and mood of majority of Telugus and went ahead to divide the State, she said.
Meanwhile, TDP Polit Bureau member Talasani Srinivas Yadav arrived in the city to take part in Sankranti festival celebrations in the city.
NGOs set fire to ‘T’ BillCopies of the draft Bill on Telangana were burnt by members of APNGOs’ Association outside the office of Irrigation Department on M.G. Road here on Monday as part of the protest held throughout Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema.
The agitators have thrown copies of the contentious Bill into the Bhogi ‘mantalu’ and wished that the State remains united.
Participating in the programme, APNGOs’ Association leaders Md. Iqbal, K. Ravi, Ramesh, Vasu and others expressed regret that the Central government simply ignored the sentiments of people of Seemandhra who maintained restraint with the hope that good sense would prevail on those supporting bifurcation but nothing of that sort happened as electoral politics dictated the agenda.
At no point of time did the Central government pay due attention to the consequences of bifurcation about which there were clear warnings by experts in various fields. Even the Srikrishna Committee recommendations ended up in the dustbin.
The saddest part of the story was the gains that Congress party expected to derive from the issue at such an inopportune time and it should be prepared to incur the public wrath in the coming days, the APNGOs’ leaders warned.
