NEW DELHI, Sept 23: TDP chief and former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu today walked out of the National Integration Council meeting here in protest against the move to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh.
During the meeting, which was convened to discuss the growing incidents of communal violence, attack on women and atrocities on SCs and STs, Naidu wanted to raise the issue of Telangana and bring Central government’s attention to the continuous protests in Seemandhra region against the bifurcation move.
Naidu said when he raised the issue, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi objected to it and told him that NIC was not the forum to discuss the Telangana issue.
Gandhi was immediately joined by Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde in preventing Naidu to raise the issue of bifurcating Andhra Pradesh.
The TDP chief said Chidambaram told him that he would not be allowed to speak on Telangana in the NIC meeting and if he wishes, he can walk out of the meeting, which he did.
“My point is, if I am not allowed to speak such a serious issue in such a forum where top leadership of the country is present, where will I go,” he asked.
Naidu said there is continuous tension in entire Seemandhra and protests and strike has crippled the region.
The Congress Working Committee, which met on July 30, passed a resolution requesting the Centre “to take steps in accordance with the Constitution to form a separate state of Telangana…Within a definite timeframe”.
However, after the CWC decision, there have been continuous protests in the non-Telangana parts of Andhra Pradesh against the decision to carve out the new state.
The just-concluded Monsoon Session of Parliament also witnessed strong protests by Congress and TDP MPs from the Seemandhra region against any move to divide Andhra Pradesh.
The Union Cabinet is expected to give its approval for creation of Telangana soon.
The Cabinet, after giving its approval to the creation of a separate Telangana state, will set up a Group of Ministers (GoM) to go threadbare into the issues arising out of the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.
That is likely to be followed by a resolution being sent to Andhra Pradesh Assembly regarding the formation of the new state. After formation, Telangana will be the 29th state of India. (PTI)
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