Actor Mohan Babu has appealed to the people of Andhra Pradesh to stand for a unified State by dumping the designs of a handful of politically unemployed leaders.
He cautioned the public not to fall prey to the mala fide intentions of a few separatists, who he said, were out to foment trouble for their own selfish ends.
Dr. Mohan Babu sat on a day-long fast in front of Sri Venkateswara University campus here on Thursday, expressing solidarity with the students who were already on a hunger strike.
He paid tributes at the statues of Ambedkar, Mahatma Gandhi, Potti Sriramulu, Jyotirao Phule and N.T. Rama Rao and also called on leaders of the Telugu Desam, Congress, Praja Rajyam and other social activists undertaking relay fasts separately.
What were MPs doing?
Addressing mediapersons, the actor saw a ‘ploy’ to destabilise the State and criticised the Centre for its inefficient handling of the sensitive issue. He wondered what the 33 MPs from the State were doing when the decision was announced in a rather hurried manner. He suspected that a section of leaders eyeing the post of the Chief Minister, besides nurturing other parochial aspirations, as having a role behind the separatist demand. Recalling the role of his mentor and former Chief Minister N.T.Rama Rao in the balanced development of all the three regions of the State, he maintained that the people of Telangana and the rest of the State never developed any hatred towards each other and it was only the handiwork of the leaders.
Similarly, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy also left no stone unturned to unveil a fertile State ‘Harithandhra Pradesh’ covering all the three regions.
He appealed to the students and the youth not to resort to violence or arson, but express their viewpoint for a unified State in a peaceful manner.
Insisting that he had no party or regional interests, Dr. Babu said he would call on fasting leaders Paritala Sunitha (TDP) at Anantapur, Devineni Umamaheswara Rao (TDP) at Vijayawada, Lagadapati Rajagopal (Congress) at Vijayawada and the parents of a student who committed suicide for the cause.
