Hyderabad, September 22: Telangana Joint Action Committee (TJAC) leaders took pains to play down apparent differences with TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao in the light of the latter’s comments that Coastal Andhra settlers born in Telangana have a rightful claim to nativity of the region.
TJAC chairman Prof M Kodandaram said the TRS president’s comments were reflective of deep differences but did indicate the existence of conflicting perspectives on issues related to Telangana movement. “There is no yes or no answer to the question whether I support or differ with KCR,” Kodandaram said in reply to a question at a news conference at his residence today. When pressed for a response to KCR’s comments that he loves Vijayawada MP Lagadapati Rajagopal, Kondaram ducked the query, telling the mediaperson to pose the question to KCR himself.
Despite his dodging, Kodandaram did indicate he sees things differently than KCR. He said: “The argument that all those born in Telangana should be considered natives of Telangana will certaintly hurt the interests of genuine Telangana residents.” Pressed for an elaboration, the TJAC chairman said: ‘’Just because KCR had expressed a view it does not mean that he is our enemy. It is quite possible that there is a difference of opinion.
We will sit with KCR in a spirit of camaraderie and sort out the issue.” Kodandaram, after presiding over a meeting of the TJAC steering committee earlier in the day, said there is an urgent need for a revival of mulki rules to protect the interests of the people of Telangana.
Telangana became part of AP only after an assurance was given that interests of the people of the region would be adhered to. Telangana is in fact a state within a state, he said. But the conditions were observed only in the breach. Even mulki rules disappeared over a period of time. He demanded that for determination of nativity, one had to go by the guidelines of the Girglani Commission which examined the issue.
Members of the TR S — a major constituent of the TJAC — and BJP were conspicuous by their absence at the TJAC meeting. After the meeting, steering committee convenor and Telangana NGOs Association president Swamy Goud said it had been decided to approach KCR to persuade him to change his stand on nativity.
The steering committee, however, felt that there was no need to treat KCR as an enemy, which would only hurt the movement, Swamy Goud said.
–Agencies