The Telangana statehood issue found its echo in New Delhi again on Monday when Congress MPs from the region launching 48-hour-long dharna at the entrance of the Parliament even as political T-JAC took its fight for statehood to the national capital as part of its ‘Sansad Yatra’. Sentiment
Five Congress MPs - Ponnam Prabhakar, Gutha Sukhender Reddy, G. Vivekanand, S. Rajaiah and Manda Jagannath first staged a protest inside Lok Sabha and then walked to the Gate No. 1 to begin their dharna. While the Congress party’s central leadership chose to ignore their protest, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj (BJP) stopped her vehicle and spoke to the protesting MPs. She promised to raise the Telangana statehood issue in the House on Tuesday.
In a related development, a group of Ministers hailing from Telangana are leaving for New Delhi on Tuesday morning to express solidarity with the five MPs.
Sources said the Ministers decided to step up pressure on the Centre by visiting Delhi. They are planning to call on central leadership. Ministers – K.Jana Reddy, Basavaraj Saraiah, D.Sridhar Babu, V.Sunitha Laxma Reddy and P.Sudarshan Reddy are likely to leave for Delhi.
Simultaneously, Political T-JAC began its ‘Sansad Yatra’, the rally aimed at highlighting the need for separate Telangana State at the national level at Jantar Mantar. The protestors were led by TJAC chairman M. Kodandaram.
It was attended by several representatives including those from the TRS, CPI and the BJP. CPI general secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy, BJP senior leader Prakash Javadekar and others extended their support to the Sansad Yatra.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Javadekar said this was the last opportunity for the Congress to introduce a Bill on separate Telangana in the Parliament and the BJP was committed top extend its support to it.
Criticising the Congress-led UPA coalition for not announcing a decision, he reiterated his party’s commitment to carve out a separate State within 100 days as and when it came to power at the Centre.
Mr. Sudhakar Reddy expressed concern that the lobbying by the anti-Telangana leaders from Seemandhra region delayed the announcement by the Centre. Prof. Kodandaram demanded that the Central Government keep its promise on carving out separate State failing which the agitation would be intensified further.
