‘Views’ on bifurcation Bill run into 900 pages!

Some members of Assembly and Council forward songs, CDs in praise of their respective regions to the President

It is not just views of members of Andhra Pradesh Assembly and Council on the bifurcation Bill that are being forwarded to the President, Pranab Mukherjee, but also songs, CDs and newspaper clippings that they have appended in support of their claims.

On Thursday which was the last day of the session of the Legislature to debate the Bill, members of both Houses submitted as many as 900 pages of “views”. Some of them also handed over songs in praise of their respective regions and CDs and newspaper clippings containing remarks in the past of leaders of various parties on bifurcation.

About 40 translators were working overtime since Thursday on Telugu and Urdu versions of views expressed by members orally and in writing. The Ministry of Home Affairs had asked the State government to supply 50 English copies of each member’s version but officials here had no clue why so many documents were needed. A senior official told The Hindu that making so many copies of views, amendments proposed to clauses in the Bill and affidavits to President would make the bag as heavy as one tonne. Most of the amendments suggested were in English which cut down the job of translation.

The officials also deleted repetitions in suggested amendments but mentioned it in the summary. As many as 672 pages of amendments were received in the Assembly and 340 in the Council.

In anticipation of the gigantic task, the staff of the Legislature had been working on translation since day one. They did not want to risk condensing the speeches in the Houses as the mandate given by Rashtrapati Bhavan and the Ministry was to reproduce the views. After translation, the officials also verified every copy to make sure that the content was proper.

Material to be despatched by tomorrow

Thousands of pages would be ready in this manner for despatch to New Delhi by Sunday evening well before the Group of Ministers meets on February 4. Another official said the Centre was “furiously” working on the Bill going by the arrangements.

Senior security advisor to the Ministry K. Vijay Kumar arrived here on Friday which triggered speculation that his visit had something to do with bifurcation. But, it was stated that he addressed a conference of Superintendents of Police on Greyhounds campus.