The Samaikyandhra Joint Action Committee on Wednesday decided to step up agitation to urge the Centre to come out with a clear-cut statement for keeping the state united.
''The uncertainty was affecting development in the state. We are ready to make any sacrifice to protect the first linguistic state of Andhra Pradesh formed after supreme life sacrifice by Amarajeevi Potti Sriramulu and by recognising the linguistic and cultural identity of Telugu people'', thundered JAC leaders at a press conference here.
Samaikyandhra JAC state co-convenor and ABM Degree College principal T.S.S. Sing said the Centre should realise that any move to divide the state was akin to opening the ''Pandora's box'' at a time when demands for formation of new states existed in 10 to 12 states.
Any hasty step by the Centre for short-term political mileage would go against the larger interest of the nation and the state, warned JAC Udhima Committee district convenor and Harshini Degree College Correspondent G.Ravikumar.
‘We will hold a series of meetings to prepare different sections of people for a massive struggle,’ Samaikyandhra employees JAC convenor and APNGO's district president Sk.Abdul Basheer said.
Samaikyandhra Doctors cell JAC convenor Dr. K. Sitaramaiah said that those who demand separation should realise that Andhra Pradesh with 42 MP seats plays a pivotal role in national politics now. Samaikyandhra Lawyers JAC district convenor Sirigiri Ranga Rao compared Hyderabad to a heart for a person and said ''We will not agree to part with Hyderabad developed over decades by people for the three regions in the state''. In the event of formation of Telagana state, they should go for a new capital taking a cue from the States of Chattisgarh, Jharkhand and Uttaranchal, he said.
Samaikyandhra Vidyarthi JAC State co-convenor Rayapati Jagdeesh said the JAC would hold meetings at Chirala on July 9, Giddalur(July 17), Darsi(July 26), and Ongole(July 30). In the event of any division of the state, the coastal Andhra region would be further deprived of its due share of water from Godavari and Krishna rivers, he feared.
