Puducherry: The Centre has not rejected
the Puducherry government's plea for statehood, but only kept
it on hold, Chief Minister V Vaithilingam said here on Wednesday.
'The plea for statehood has been put on hold. It has not
been rejected at all,' he told agency.
He cited 'disturbed conditions and changed environment' for
the Centre's move to keep the decision in abeyance, apparently
referring to the situation arising out of the Centre's plans
on carving Telengana state out of Andhra Pradesh.
Vaithlingam's reaction came in response to a question on
AIADMK MLA A Anbalagan's claim that the plea of the union
territory for statehood had been rejected by the Centre.
Anbalagan had said that the Union Home ministry had sent a
letter to Puducherry Chief Secretary in this regard a few days
back.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, December 23, 2009, 17:00