House Debate rages on bifurcation Bill

Hyderabad: The debate in the Assembly on the Draft AP Re-Organisation Bill 2013 continued on Friday with members from Telangana welcoming and those from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema opposing it. Minister for Legislative Affairs Minister S Sailajanath made a forceful pitch against the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. Opposing the Bill, he said that it was against the spirit of the Constitution and federalism. He said the draft Bill had hurt the self respect of the Telugu people.

Sailajanath demanded that Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy order a constitution of a committee to look into the suicides that had taken place for the cause of Telangana and united Andhra. Reiterating that the state would develop only if the state remains united, the minister found fault with the Union Cabinet for having shown utmost hurry and accepting the important T Bill as table item during the cabinet meeting.

The process adopted in framing the draft T Bill itself is against the Parliamentary practices, he said. Terming the Draft Bill as ‘ biased,’ Sailajanath said the December 9 statement made by the then union Home minister P Chidambaram that a resolution would be adopted in Assembly before initiating process of division was thrown to the winds. This decision, he alleged was to appease some people for votes and seats. The vested interests, he said, raised Telangana issue for political benefits and lured the students and youth by offering jobs after bifurcation.

The BCs, SC and ST Communities were the victims of the T movement launched by KCR, he said.

Quoting the history of the State and the fight for the unity of Telugu people during the Mughal dynasty and the Nizam rule, Sailajanath said the formation of AP was not forceful as was being claimed by T parties.

It was the wish of all Telugu people to live together and that had resulted in the growth of the State, he asserted.