Expressing his strong opposition to bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, Legislative Affairs Minister S. Sailajanath on Friday accused the leaders of Telangana movement of deceiving the students and youth by claiming that lakhs of jobs would be created once the new State was formed.
Participating in the debate on the draft of AP Reorganisation Bill in the Assembly, he charged the Telangana leaders with making false claim that there were 1.5 lakh employees from Seemandhra region who were working in violation of the six-point formula. In reality, there were only 14,794 of whom 9,000-odd were sent back.
He accused the Telangana leaders of making statements to provoke students and employees. After their game was exposed when the true facts were brought to light, they changed tack and said they were demanding separate State for self-rule.
He sought to rebut the claim that there was no development in Telangana region and said that area under cultivation had grown from three-lakh acres to 50-lakh acres in the region after AP State was formed by merging erstwhile Hyderabad.
Amidst noisy interruptions from TRS members and others from Telangana region, Mr. Sailajanath said he was opposing the Bill as it was anti-constitutional, against the federal spirit and the Centre’s own principle of forming States on linguistic basis. Faulting the Centre for bringing it as a “table item”, he said he was opposing the bill for self-pride of Andhras and all Telugu people.
Frequent interruptionsWhen the Minister said the Bill was against the spirit of Telangana Armed Struggle, TDP, TRS and Gandra Venkataramana Reddy, chief whip, objected. Mr. Dayakar Rao (TDP) urged the Minister to resign and oppose while Mr. Venkataramana Reddy charged Mr. Sailajanath with distorting the past.
“Biased Bill”The Bill was also against Article 371(D) and did not follow democratic practices and procedures. Describing it as a “biased bill”, Mr. Sailajanath questioned if it was not so if the capital had to be given for one region.
He said that development in various fields, including education, health and industrial occurred because of united State. Similarly, the united State gave voice and strength to the poor, SCs, STs and minorities and demand for Telangana was politically-motivated and only for garnering positions.
Alleging that false propaganda was indulged in to arouse passion among youngsters, the Minister referred to sacrificing of lives by students and wanted a committee to be constituted to go into the issue in both Seemandhra and Telangana regions.
The Minister also hinted that feudalism would be back in Telangana, if it was separated.
