TDP MPs give CD to Sonia

• CDs on anti-T State protests also presented to Sushma, LK Advani
• MPs traced the history of formation of AP and stressed the need to keep it united

Venkat Parsa

New Delhi: Taking the protest against the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh to the doorstep of Congress President Sonia Gandhi, the TDP MPs handed over a CD to her in the Lok Sabha. Initially hesitant, Sonia Gandhi later accepted the CD. The CD gives a visual presentation of the aggressive protests in the Seemandhra region against the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. The TDP tried to impress upon the leaders that as hardly anything appears in the national media, the CD helps get a glimpse into the deepseated anger and portests against the division of the State.

Earlier in the day, the MPs called on leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj and NDA Working Chairman L K Advani to hand over these CDs, depicting protests in the Seemandhra region. It was also given to leaders of the major political parties in the State.

TDP leader Y S Chowdhury said on priority peace should be restored in the Seemandhra region. Then talks must be held with all stakeholders and elected representatives and it is only then that such a major decision should be taken, he said.

Carrying forward its aggressive campaign among the national political parties, the TDP came up with a follow-up bulletin on Tuesday, after it was started on Monday, called Save Andhra Pradesh: Playing with the Lives of Telugu People by the Congress for Political Gains. The latest TDP Bulletin traced the history of the formation of Andhra Pradesh on November 1, 1956. The Telugu-speaking areas of the then Madras Presidency were carved out to form Andhra State on October 1, 1953. Immediately thereafter, the reorganisation of States on linguistic basis gained momentum. By the Home Ministry Resolution of December 29, 1953, the States Reorganisation Commission was set up under Justice Fazal Ali, with H N Kunzru and K M Panikkar as members, to examine and suggest a rational solution for the reorganisation of States, based on the linguistic principle.

The SRC unanimously adopted the principle of linguistic homogeneity as the basis for the recommendation of the reorganisation of States. At that time, unification of all Telugu-speaking areas came from the erstwhile Hyderabad State. Leaders like Swami Ramanand Tirth, Narsingh Rao, Maqdoom Mohiuddin and others canvassed for it. “Accordingly the Assemblies of both Andhra and Hyderabad States passed resolutions by majority, approving the proposed merger and on the strength of it, the present Andhra Pradesh State was formed, after providing safeguards to Telangana in the form of Gentlemen’s Agreement,” it stated.

It noted that all along the Congress played a crucial role leading to the merger of the two States of Andhra and erstwhile Hyderabad States, by adopting necessary resolutions at the party level. It noted that the very same Congress has decided on bifurcation of AP. It pointed out the crucial differences between the two situations. While a lot of deliberation took place ahead of the merger, no such deliberations preceded the decision on bifurcation of AP. “Can the present Congress leadership explain to the people of Andhra Pradesh and the country the compulsion under which it contemplated to undo the decision of our forefathers? Is it because of overflowing of wisdom or intellectual bankruptcy or political opportunism?” it wanted to know.