The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Thursday criticised the Centre’s move on Telangana, stating the criterion of language as the basis for reorganisation of States should not be diluted.
Creation of a separate State was not a solution to address the problem of development, CPI(M) Parliamentary Party leader Sitaram Yechury told a press conference here. Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand were cases in point.
What was required was planning and budgetary support. Development had to be worked out and resources made available for it.
Criticising the Congress’ handling of the Telangana issue, Mr. Yechury said the statehood demand was over four decades old and most of the time it was that party which held power both in Andhra Pradesh and at the Centre.
The creation of smaller States would also affect the federal structure. For, with fewer MPs, such States would make less impact. When all 42 MPs from Andhra Pradesh stood up as a group in the Lok Sabha, they would get greater attention, while the impact would get diluted when there is a division, the CPI(M) leader pointed out.
Conceding a separate Telangana would give rise to similar demands from other regions, be it Harit Pradesh, Gorkhaland or Vidarbha.
