Telangana Rashtra Samithi chief K. Chandrasekhar Rao staged a sit-in at the Rajghat on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanthi, urging a quick decision on statehood. He said there was no need for “further consultations.”
On Saturday, both Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad — who is also Congress general secretary in charge of Andhra Pradesh — said the government needed time for further consultations.
“What is the need for further consultations? How long will they take for a decision,” asked Mr. Rao. “Our people are suffering and dying in Telangana and here people want discussions. We need Telangana, not comforting words.”
While the general strike entered the 20th day in the Telangana region, Mr. Rao brought his fight to the national capital once again. TRS cadres and supporters arrived at Rajghat around 10 a.m. and observed a silent sit-in for several hours.
Mr. Rao hopes to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other senior players in the Central government, urging the Congress to make up its mind on the statehood issue.
“I will meet the Prime Minister to tell him what is happening in Telangana. I will also tell him that people are suffering there and an early decision on Telangana is the need of the hour,” he told journalists after the protest.
“Need for more talks”
Hyderabad Staff Reporter reports:
In Hyderabad, Mr. Azad reiterated that there was need for more consultations on the issue. He gave an assurance that the Centre would try to resolve it at the earliest.
To a question, he said the Telangana issue could not be compared with that of Kashmir.
