New Delhi, Feb 17, 2014:
Taking the bull by its horns in the national capital YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has
renewed his diatribe against Congress for its divisive politics and appealed to
all opposition parties to rekindle the democracy which was mocked in the
Parliament with the introduction of the AP Reorganisation Bill 2013.
“I appeal to all the
opposition Parties, including the main opposition BJP which has over 100 MPs in
the lower House, to stand up against the injustice being meted out to Andhra
Pradesh and appeal to all forces and organisations seeking a united state to
join hands and fight a battle of unity to save our state,” he said addressing a
rally at the Jantar Mantar grounds here on Monday.
The coming three days are
very crucial in the history of our State and I appeal to all opposition parties
to question the undemocratic division of Andhra Pradesh as this would set a bad
precedent. I appeal to leaders of our state to keep set aside the differences
and mount pressure on opposition parties to question the Congress and its
undemocratic division, he said.
The political system has
degenerated to low levels and Delhi has turned very authoritarian and undemocratic.
Any state in the country would have been divided only after taking the assembly
and will of the people into account and this has been the practice for the past
60 years. No state was divided without following this golden rule which was
also supported by the recommendation of a Report submitted by a Commission
appointed for that purpose.
When it came to Andhra
Pradesh all caution and rules were thrown to winds and the recommendation of
Sri Krishna Commission that the best option is to keep the state united is also
set aside and Congress has decided to divide the state for the sake of votes
and seats.
Delhi has slaughtered
democracy by taking up the division bill even after the state assembly has
rejected the division and majority of the people are against the bifurcation.
The Speaker took her seat and within 10 seconds announced that the Bill was
tabled.
In normal course, the
concerned minister should seek permission of the Chair for introducing the Bill
and the Speaker should take the opinion of the House whether or not the members
are in favour of the Bill and the majority prevails.
The entire exercise was
given a go by and amidst the din the Bill was said to be introduced within 10
seconds. We went to the Speaker’s chamber to protest against the undemocratic
tabling of the Bill. I was joined by LK Advani, Sushma Swaraj (BJP) and floor
leaders of AIADMK, SP, BJP and JD (U). Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamalmath were also present in the Chamber and
when we did not get a proper response we have walked out of the Chamber, he
said.
The Bill may come up for
debate to the House tomorrow. We should muster support from the Opposition and
see to it that the Bill is stalled. There are many seniors in the House and
nobody must have seen the way Congress is playing the divide and rule policy to
perfection, more perfect than the British even.
Delhi is only dividing the
state for electoral gains. It is of the opinion that if Telangana is divided
Congress, which is facing a heavy anti-incumbency wave, will gain some of the
17 seats in the region but the fact remains that both people of Telangana and
Seemandhra will suffer in the aftermath of the irrational division.
People who do not have a
grasp of the State affairs and the consequences arriving out of the division
are trying to split the state and this has to be stopped, he said.
Once the state is divided,
farmers along the River Krishna ayacut will resort to squabbles across 11
districts, three of which are in Telangana region. When the state is united
itself, we are not getting a drop of water unless the needs of upper riparian
states of Maharashtra and Karnataka were fulfilled, if another state comes in
between, there will be no water from the southern tip of Kuppam to northern
point of Srikakulam.
Hyderabad is the other
contentious issue, as 60 % of the revenue comes from there and if we are to
leave the city where will the youth go to seek jobs. If mulki system is
introduced after the division what will be the future of students of
Seemandhra, he asked.
The united Andhra Pradesh
stands third in the country in terms of budgetary allocations, once divided one
piece will be vying for the 9th place while the other part will be
fighting for 13th place. The division is irrational and we have to
fight it out, he said.
The meeting observed one
minute silence to mourn the death of a government servant who died of cardiac
arrest. He has come to attend another rally here. YSRCP cadre will also join
that rally on Tuesday to express solidarity.
He has given a call to the
cadre to march towards Parliament. Police foiled the march midway.
Will support anyone to
keeps state united
In interview to a national
TV channel, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said that his party will support anyone who
will assure a united state and Narender Modi is not an exception.
Congress has been playing
divisive politics and wanted to split the state to gain some of the seats in
Telangana region by bifurcating the state as it has become clear that it will
not win a single seat on its own. It has been whipping regional passions to
break the state.
If we are silent at this
stage it will set a bad precedent. Article 3 is being blatantly misused
and our single point agenda is to keep the state united and will support whoever
is in agreement with us as the federal spirit of the nation is at stake.
“I think wisdom dawns upon
the opposition parties and will join us in the fight to keep the state untied.
BJP with its 100 MPs has to take the lead and question the authoritarian Congress.
I am nobody and have only 3 MPs which is the reason why I am appealing to all
opposition parties to extend support,” he said.
He brushed aside the
question that Congress has a deal with him. I am fighting Congress all the time
and if someone says that Congress is trying to keep me happy, it is a blatant
lie and not a single example can be shown.
“If the reference is on the
bail issue, in normal course any citizen should be getting bail in three months
but in my case it took over 16 months,’ he said.
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