Jagan meets Prez, seeks support for unified AP

We wish to bring
your kind notice, some of the developments and anomalies that are taking place
in the State of Andhra Pradesh in the name of bifurcation which will have far
reaching consequences adversely affecting crores of people of the State. The
Congress Party seems to be in a tearing hurry to divide Andhra Pradesh for
political reasons, unmindful of the consequences, giving scant respect to the
sentiments of a multitude of the local people that is against the division.

Despite a
tempestuous outrage against the division by people who are protesting for
nearly four months, the adamant ruling Party is going ahead with its plans of separating
the State at a breakneck speed. My humble request to Your Excellency is to
consider majority opinion that is opposing the division of Andhra Pradesh.

We are making every
effort to mobilize support from national parties as well with an appeal to
reject the Bill in the Parliament when it is tabled, as the Bill reflects the
megalomaniac nature of the Congress Party and is not in the true spirit of the
federal structure as it is not the voice of the people, as more than 75% of the
people of Andhra Pradesh want to remain united.

This is the time to
reckon was what we appealed to all national and regional parties and called
upon them to stand up against the injustice meted out to Andhra Pradesh, lt is
the dichotomy, arrogance and authoritarianism of the ruling party that is being
questioned and challenged, we had told the political parties.

Let not Andhra
Pradesh be a precedent for the divisive tactics of the Party in power at the
Centre. lf political parties that subscribe to democracy and constitutional institutions
remain mute spectators, it could happen to anyone and in any state tomorrow, is
our contention, Your Excellency.

We have called upon
all political parties to extend their support for the cause of a United Andhra
Pradesh and express solidarity with us in the Parliament and outside as well
which could be an eye-opener to the Congress, preventing it from indulging in
any such misadventures in future.

Your Excellency, we
appeal you to intervene and safeguard the democracy as the division is being
carried out unilaterally and against the federal spirit.

To give you a brief
scenario of Andhra Pradesh, after the death of YSR, the state plunged into
chaos and administration has virtually come to a halt for the past four and a
half years. People are facing several hardships and are vexed with the
anti-people policies of the congress ruled state government.

Anti-incumbency has
shot skyward and the writing is on the wall that the Congress Party is losing
and losing badly as was evident from the by-elections in which its candidates
lost deposits or fared very badly. Congress has whipped up regional passions
and brought things to this situation only to divert the attention of the people
from its failures and to win a few seats and votes at least in one region.

Though 75 per cent
of the population is opposing the division, it is going ahead with its plans of
bifurcating the state and is trying to redefine democracy in its dictatorial
accent. With your long innings in public life, Sir, we believe, you will not
recall a division of this sort that has happened in the Indian history since
independence. When the Congress is bypassing all the precedents, I pray that
you will extend your helping hand as a Constitutional Head to our fight for
justice to keep the state united.

As a knowledgeable
and learned person with vast experience in public life, Sir, may we humbly
request you to intervene to keep our state united. We request you to exercise
the powers under Article 143 of Constitution of India on certain issues where
the President of India can ask the Supreme Court for its advice.

Whether the
Government of India can bifurcate the State of Andhra Pradesh without amending
Articles 371 D & E which is placed in the Constitution through 32nd
amendment.  Whether the Government of India
can bifurcate the State of Andhra Pradesh without amending Articles 371 D &
E under Article 368. lt is pertinent to mention that the amendment of Article
371 E protected in the seventh Schedule of Constitution of India requires
ratification of 50% of the states in India. Whether without amending the above
said Articles, can the Government of lndia exercise its powers under Article 2
to 4. lf so, such act may violate the federal spirit of the Constitution.

Also in this regard
my lordship, is it fair to divide any state without an unanimous ass6mbly
iesolution or at least a resolution with 2/3'd of the assembly in favour of
such division as these Sates have already been reconstituted on linguistic
grounds after the recommendations of the 1"'SRC in 1955 and after 60 years
is it right to divide any State arbitrarily?

In this regard, your
Excellency may refer these issues for judicial review in protecting the
interests of the Telugu people and sovereignty of India.

The infamous
Partition of Bengal in 1905 by Lord Curzon (the then Viceroy of lndia) is
coming to the memory of Telugu people afresh along with the British ideology of
Divide and Rule as it is the same principle that AICC is adopting now. All the
democratic forces in this country have to give a thought in the following
lines.

1. Can the Centre
use the powers vested on it arbitrarily and take undue advantage to garner a
few votes and seats?

2. The Central
Government took a unilateral decision to divide the State on December 9, 2009
and decision was dubbed by Congress as a birthday gift by Party President Sonia
Gandhi. Can such a yardstick be applied for dividing the State?

3. Though the Centre
has the power to divide the State, can it take decisions without any concrete
basis, unanimous consent of the concerned assembly and rationality? The Centre
does not recognize the fact that Andhra Pradesh state was formed on
recommendations of the State Reorganization Commission (SRC) which regrouped
the states on linguistic basis in 1955.

4. There are
numerous demands for separate states elsewhere in the country. In some cases,
the concerned assemblies have adopted and favoured a resolution for the
division and sent it to the Centre, which in turn have been ignored so far. But
it is moving at a break-neck speed to split Andhra Pradesh just six months
ahead of the general elections. Why?

5. lf the Parliament
endorses the division of Andhra Pradesh today, such arbitrary procedure in the
days to come, will it not set a precedent for any Government at the Centre in
future to arbitrarily divide any State with a simple majority in the
Parliament?

6. How did the
Centre take decision on bifurcating the State on October 3, 2013 without the
unanimous consent of the State Assembly? Earlier, Sri Krishna Committee in its
report suggested that the State stands to lose if it is divided and in the
first preference it has mentioned to keep the State united. In that case what
is the basis of the Cabinet note on division? Is it justified?

In 1956, assemblies
of the two states of Andhra and Hyderabad separately adopted a resolution with
a two-third majority for the formation of Andhra Pradesh State. Hyderabad
assembly had adopted a resolution with a two-third majority for the formation
of Vishalandhra (Andhra Pradesh) on linguistic basis. In the 174-member
Hyderabad State Assembly, 147 participated in the voting and 103 members agreed
for Vishalandhra (Andhra Pradesh).

Respecting the
feelings of Telangana people who wanted Vishalandhra, the then Chief Minister
of Hyderabad State, Burgula Ramakrishna Rao (a son of Telangana) sacrificed his
post as Chief Minister and helped the resolution getting the sanctity of the
House. Similarly, the Andhra Assembly also unanimously adopted a resolution for
Vishalandhra.

It's worth recalling
the speech of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on the floor of the
Parliament in 1972 (which is categorical on the unity of the State). In her own
words, Mrs. Gandhi has said "perhaps, it was this long history which inspired
the Telugu speaking people when ihey yearned and struggled for several decades
to form a unified Andhra Pradesh. May I cite a bit of my personal experience? I
happened to be touring parts of the south just before the report of the sates
reorganization commission was made public and my ears are still reverberating
with the full throated cries of Vishalandhra. lt was really the will of
Telugu-speaking people which prevailed over the proposal of some people to
retain the old Hyderabad state".

The Government
policy is like that of the Nazi philosophy before the World War ll. Here we
place the most popular quote by Martin Niemdller, the German theologian. First
they came for the communists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a
communist.

Then they came for
the socialists,

and I didn't speak
out because I wasn't a socialist.

Then they came for
the trade unionists,

and I didn't speak
out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for
the Jews,

and I didn't speak
out because I wasn't a Jew'

Then they came for
the Catholics,

and I didn't speak
out because I wasn't a Catholic.

Then they came for
me,

and there was no one
left to speak for me.

If the
intelligentsia, democratic institutions and people who respect the constitution
keep quiet and do not react to the injustice being meted out by the Centre to Andhra
Pradesh, the devil of division will raise its ugly head in any and every state
in the coming days, with any party in power at the Centre unleashing their
authority to weaken the state where they think they have no chance.

As these states have
already been reconstituted on recommendations of State Reorganization
Commission on linguistic basis, there is an absolute need to bring in a
constitutional amendment which makes a two-third majority in the State Assembly
and Parliament mandatory to divide or to form a new State, we told the national
and regional leaders.

While amendment to
the article 3 is a must in the days to come, the urgent need is to oppose the
bifurcation bill of Andhra Pradesh in the Parliament and wherever it is placed
has been our request and Your Excellence, I am sure, you will see the spirit of
democracy in the demand.

This is the crucial
hour, as democracy is on the threshold of a deceitful mansion. We have to save
it and preserve its sanctity as the will of people should prevail and not the
arithmetic of a few leaders. I once again urge Your Excellency to intervene and
stop the undemocratic and unilateral division of Andhra Pradesh.

 Thanking you

Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy