As the momentum of the agitation for a separate Telangana in Andhra Pradesh is coming down, the Congress said on Wednesday that the demand for a Telangana state was no exception to the party's policy that a State Reorganisation Commission should look into such demands nationwide.
‘Sensitive issue'
However, since party general secretary in charge of Andhra Pradesh and Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad was looking into the “very sensitive and burning issue,” the question might be posed to him, spokesman Rashid Alvi told journalists here. He said Mr. Azad was in touch with leaders of the Telangana and Seemandhra regions.
Mr. Alvi, who was replying to questions about Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati's proposal to divide the State into four smaller units, said the party favoured the setting up of an SRC to look into such demands all over the country.
Asked whether Telangana was an exception, he said: “It is not an exception. I am talking about the policy for the whole country, and not about one region. The Telangana issue is already going on. The Congress general secretary in charge of Andhra Pradesh is already looking into the issue. You may pose this question to him.”
Mr. Alvi said the Congress would honour whatever it had said in its election manifesto.
“We want an SRC set up, as the issue is not limited to Uttar Pradesh. The Congress does not decide keeping in mind a region or the State but the whole country.”
Asked whether the SRC would also cover the Telangana issue, Mr. Alvi merely said: “It will cover the entire country.”
