Opposition parties in Andhra Pradesh today demanded the Centre immediately take a decision “either way” on the contentious Telangana issue and end the uncertainty facing the State.
They accused Congress of keeping Andhra Pradesh on the boil and paralyzing normal life for over a year and a half now.
“If you are looking at furthering your political interests, the vexatious statehood problem will only become more complicated,” Leader of the Opposition and Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu warned Congress in the State Assembly today.
He said it was high time the Centre takes a decision on the statehood issue based on the recommendations of the Justice Srikrishna Committee recommendations.
Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen leader Akbaruddin Owaisi said the Centre should immediately step down if it could not take a decision on the issue.
“The decision-makers of the country are unable to take a decision. In that case, please step down,” he said.
Mr. Owaisi, who made a forceful speech during the five-hour debate in the Assembly on the vandalism caused by Telangana protagonists on Tank Bund, said the current turmoil in Andhra Pradesh was a result of the December 9, 2009, statement by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on “initiating the process for creation of Telangana state.”
“Mr. Chidambaram is solely responsible for all that’s happening in Andhra Pradesh today”, he charged adding his statement was “the cause of all uncertainty prevailing in the State. It caused a lot of distress among people as they were not taken into confidence”.
“Minds and hearts of people of the three regions of the State were divided. Hearts are burning. We are heading for a civil war, not President’s rule as is being speculated”, the MIM leader warned.
Mr. Owaisi regretted that Hyderabad has become a “battle ground”.
CPI and CPI(M) leaders K Sambasiva Rao and J Ranga Reddy wanted Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy to camp in New Delhi till the Congress high command and the UPA government took a decision on the statehood issue.
Lok Satta Party president N Jayaprakash Narayan wanted the political parties to give up “zero-sum game politics” and find a lasting solution to the ongoing impasse.
“We are all riding a tiger right now. The tiger could eat all of us away”, he warned.
Though MIM and CPI(M) wanted the House to adopt a unanimous resolution demanding that the central government immediately take a decision on the statehood issue, the Kiran Kumar Reddy government did not heed.
Responding to this, the Chief Minister said every party had a responsibility on the statehood issue.
“There is no change in the Centre’s stance (on Telangana). But parties here changed their stance. The Centre had to change its stance (after the December 9, 2009 statement) as there was a division in Congress and TDP”, Mr. Kiran noted.
The Centre would convene an all-party meeting after the completion of the ongoing Budget session of State legislature and, based on the views expressed by eight recognized parties, would take a decision on the statehood issue.
“The State government will abide by whatever decision the Centre takes”, the Chief Minister reiterated.
