A.P. Muslim Council is committed to a united State, Congress MLC Shaik Hussain said here on Thursday and deplored All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MLA S. Asaduddin Owaisi’s demand for merger of Kurnool and Anantapur with Telangana.
He questioned the propriety of Mr. Owaisi demanding a split in Rayalaseema region when bifurcation of the State itself was unacceptable, he asserted in a press conference here. Bifurcation of the State would cause loss of education, employment, healthcare opportunities to the people of Rayalaseema and Andhra regions, he said.
The Muslim community would be secure in an integrated State, Mr. Hussain said. If bifurcation was inevitable, the entire Rayalaseema -- comprising Kadapa, Kurnool, Chittoor and Anantapur -- could be merged with Telangana keeping the welfare of Muslim community in mind, he said. If that was not feasible, Rayalaseema should be granted statehood along with Nellore and Prakasam with a capital chosen from any of the four Rayalaseema districts, Mr. Hussain said.
Injustice
The MLC recalled that Kurnool was capital of Visalandhra in 1953, and later, Hyderabad was made the capital, meting out injustice to Rayalaseema. The A.P. Muslim Council sent an e-mail to the Group of Ministers (GoM) explaining these aspects, Mr. Hussain said.
APMC vice-president Mahabub Peera, secretary Syed Ahmed Shahmiri and Muslim elders Abdul and Saluddin participated.