The following article was written for Niti Central. Reproducing it here for reference:
In a sign of the ominous times ahead, there is a heated debate going on amidst sections of political parties on various issues if the State has to be split. As is their wont, the Congress is hell bent on compounding the confusion. Their leaders are infact making competing attempts to win the ‘who creates the most confusion’ competition. Upon persistent demands from the BJP, the Finance Minister P Chidambaram made an announcement in the Rajya Sabha on August 5, saying, “The Ministry of Home Affairs will bring a comprehensive note for the Cabinet containing both substantive and procedural issues for the decision of the Cabinet. These will include sharing of river waters, generation and distribution of electricity, safety and security of all residents in all the three regions, guarantee of Fundamental Rights of all citizens.”
In the early days, Congress leaked that the Cabinet will immediately take up the Congress Working Committee (CWC) resolution. Now, PC refuses to even give a ball park time frame for this! In an attempt to appease the Central Ministers from Rayalseema and Andhra regions, the Congress has set up a high-level 2 member committee led by AK Antony. This committee will primarily hear out the demands of only the Congress leaders from Rayalseema and Andhra regions!
Here is a summary of demands made by several Congress leaders:
1. The Chief Minister, PCC chief and nearly 80 MLAs have signed a resolution demanding that the State should not be split.
2. At least eight MPs have also resigned saying that they will not settle for anything less than a United State.
3. A couple of Union Ministers have demanded that Hyderabad be made a Union Territory (UT) and also the permanent common capital of both the States!
4. Some of them are resorting to the rhetoric that ‘justice’ has to be delievered to Seemandhra (no one has a clue on what they mean by ‘justice’!)
It is plainly baffling as to why the Congress did not resort to this exercise ‘before’ making the announcement! After blaming everyone except Sonia Gandhi. Digvijay Singh tells us that they are thinking of modelling Hyderabad on the lines of Delhi. What exactly did he mean by the Delhi Model – the law and order will be with the Central Government it seems. He then goes on to say that they are working on other such proposals and does not divulge more details on it.
This set off a series of reactions in the State:
1. KCR came out thundering saying that even though he is ok with Hyderabad as a joint capital for 10 years, the Telangana Government ‘must’ have control over Hyderabad. Anything else is not acceptable.
2. Union Minister Chiranjeevi has been demanding that Hyderabad must be made the permanent common capital and also a Union Territory.
3. Telangana JAC has organised a protest strike bemoaning the ‘Seemandhra conspiracy’ to stall Telangana!
The discussions haven’t even begun and this is the level of confusion and acrimony, which is prevailing. Why doesn’t the Congress just announce a date for a Cabinet meeting; announce a date for setting up of a review committee (to go over modalities of the split); announce a date for open meetings with this committee – basically, why doesn’t it assure people of a proper time frame and ask them to be patient? Not a single assurance has been given to the agitating folks. Not a single proper appeal has been made.
Nearly 160 hours and the AP CM is yet to address the people of this State. A local newspaper Andhra Jyothy has carried out a news item saying that the CM will speak in a day or two – what exactly is he waiting for? The report also states that the CM is not ready to preside over the split of the State and hence, is in deep deliberations! Why can’t he put an end to these leaks and communicate directly with the people? Instead of providing a healing touch in times of distress (there has been no let down in the agitations and protests), all that the Congress and Sonia Gandhi are doing is to compound the confusion.
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