New Delhi, Dec 09: Backing Telangana Rashtra Samiti chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao’s demand for a separate Telangana State, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) leader Ajit Singh on Tuesday hinted that he might resume the movement for a Harit Pradesh to be carved out of western Uttar Pradesh.
Mr. Singh said Mr. Rao’s condition was fast deteriorating and the situation in the State alarming. He wanted the Congress to start a dialogue and regretted that the top Congress leadership has not done so.
He said he was in Hyderabad for the past two days and had tried to dissuade Mr. Rao from continuing his indefinite fast. “But he is adamant. I even spoke to Congress leaders…The Centre can talk to ULFA leaders but it is not ready to hold discussions with KCR [Mr. Rao],” he said.
Favouring small States like Telangana, Vidarbha, Bundelkhand and a Harit Pradesh, the RLD leader said, “Uttar Pradesh too, is ungovernable. We will also start our agitation for reorganisation of the State. We had stopped it for some time as the Telangana issue had come up.”
Describing the agitation for Telangana as among the oldest for smaller States, the leader said there were agreements in 1956 and 1969 for forming Telangana but the promise was never fulfilled. The United Progressive Alliance government’s manifesto in 2004 had promised a separate Telangana but nothing happened.
“Now the Congress can no more hide behind the excuse that Left parties are not in favour of it, as the UPA is no more associated with the Left,” he said.
Land acquisition
Mr. Singh also sought the tabling of the amended Land Acquisition Bill. He charged the Mayawati government with misusing the Land Acquisition Act of 1894 to acquire prime and fertile farmland.
The Uttar Pradesh government recently acquired 855 revenue villages (equivalent to 2,000 villages) in four districts of Agra, Aligarh, Hathras and Mathura for constructing the Yamuna Expressway, he said, adding that the acquired land was used for potato cultivation. This acquisition will hit production, as 20 per cent potatoes come from this region.
He said he had recently met Rural Development Minister C.P. Joshi who said the tabling of the amended Bill was delayed as Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee had some objections. “They should remove Mamata’s misgivings and table the Bill soon.”
–Agencies