AP Non-Gazetted Officers’ Association president P. Ashok Babu said the onus of stalling the passage of bifurcation Bill was on the Union Ministers from Seemandhra region.
Mr. Ashok Babu was particularly critical of Union Ministers Kishore Chandradeo and Panabaka Lakshmi besides MP Chinta Mohan for remaining mute spectators in the face of Congress’ efforts to divide the State and not joining hands with different sections that opposed bifurcation.
“Whether the State will remain united or not will be known within a couple of days. It’s the responsibility of the Seemandhra Ministers to stall the Bill,” he said.
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The APNGOs Association, that has been championing the cause of the united State, took the battle to New Delhi staging a massive dharna at Ramlila Maidan.
Mr. Ashok Babu advised the BJP leadership to shed its silence on the crucial issue that would adversely hit the prospects of crores of Telugu-speaking people.
Seemandhra leaders, cutting across political parties, attended the dharna.
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Vijayawada Congress MP Lagadapati Rajagopal, who addressed the participants, broke down for some time. After regaining composure, he elaborated on how different sections joined hands in opposing the bifurcation process.
He said the Congress leadership suspended the Seemandhra MPs from the Parliament with the hope that the Telangana Bill could be passed without any interruption.
TDP MLA D. Umamaheswara Rao lamented that the Congress leadership had completed discussions with the TRS on merger of the Telangana party into the ruling party.
It was prepared to violate all conventions and norms to ensure passage of the Bill in the Parliament.
Meanwhile, the integrationists had to face severe hardship in reaching New Delhi as only seven trains were allotted against 20 special trains sought by the APNGOs.