New Delhi: With controversy over Telangana
deepening, 16 Andhra Pradesh ministers from the region have
sought an "urgent" audience with Congress President Sonia
Gandhi saying any delay will be detrimental to the party and
there was "no option" to a separate Telangana.
In the joint memorandum to Gandhi, the ministers said the
MPs from Telangana had already presented their case before the
top leadership and made no secret of their "uncompromising
stand" on a separate state.
"This should be an indicator of the ground reality. Any
delay will be detrimental to the interest of the party and the
state...there is no alternative to separate state of
Telangana", the ministers said.
The leaders said the position of Telangana ministers is
"precarious" and they can neither allow the party to be
alienated nor abdicate their responsibilities "so long as we
are in position".
Referring to the recent developments, including students
agitation and non-cooperation movement by government employees
in Telangana, the ministers said resort of police action or
repressive measures are no answer to public fury and will not
only alienate Congress but will also deepen social tension.
"Any harsh action by the government will alienate the
people from us. We are prepared to take up the task of
convincing Andhra brethren over the futility on continuing to
live together in such a distrustful and agonistic manner",
they said.
The ministers also appealed to the Central government to
immediately intervene and appeal to agitators to call off
their non-cooperation as there is "near 100 per cent"
participation by government employees of Telangana region in
it, "seriously affecting functioning of the government".
About 15 MLAs of Congress from Telangana on Friday joined
their TRS and TDP colleagues in disrupting proceedings of the
state Assembly on the issue and forced adjournment of the
House for the day without transacting any business.
PTI
First Published: Friday, February 25, 2011, 23:51