Hyderabad, December 13: Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) president K Chandrasekhar Rao today asserted that the onus of creating a separate Telangana State was on the
UPA-led Government at the Centre and the question of having Hyderabad as common capital for both Andhra and Telangana States did not arise. He also described the unrest in Andhra and Rayalaseema regions opposing formation of Telangana State as nothing but sposored by the vested interests.
In his first-ever interview to a national TV channel after getting discharged from the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), Rao was categorical in
saying that there was no going back on the statehood. “It is like an arrow released from a bow.
Once an arrow is relased, it will not come back,’’ he said. Referring to the midnight statement made by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, Rao
said, “The home minister clearly stated that he was making the statement on behalf of the Government of India. Once the Government of India takes a decision, the resposibility lies with it to imoplement it.’’
Exuding confidence that UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh were capable of convincing their own party leaders in
the State, the TRS president said the Central leadership was trying to arrive at a consensus in a democratic manner. “It is all cock and bull story that the resoultion should be passed by the Assembly. A resolution in the Legiaslative Assembly is not mandatory for creation of a State. Even if the State Asembly
rejects the resolution, it will not be binding,’’ he asserted. Assuring that the interests of the people from Andhra region would be protected, Rao said
Hyderabad had the good track record of paying a perfect host to its guests. People from Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka and several other places came here and settled down happily. “When they have no problem,
why will Andhras have any problem?’’ he asked and remarked that former chief election commissioner JM Lingdoh, who hailed from the North-East, settled down at Sankarpally on the outskirts of Hyderabad.
On Hyderabad, Rao said it was very much an integral part of Telangana. “Before 1956, Andhra state’s capital was Kurnool and Hyderabad was the capital of the then Hyderabad state. It is logical that once Telangana is separated, Hyderabad should be the capital,’’ he observed.
The TRS chief rejected outrightly a suggestion that Hyderabad be made a common capital like Chandigarh. “You cannnot compare Hyderabad with Chandigarh as both have different geographical locations. From Hyderabad in any direction you leave to reach Andhra, you have to travel at least 200 km to hit the Andhra border,’’ he pointed out. On the ongoing widespread agitation
in Andhra and Rayalaseema regions opposing the Telagana state, Chandrasekhar Rao said, “It is clearly a movement sponsored by vested interests. People who are involved in benami land dealings in and around Hyderabad and people who have knocked away lands illegally are sponsoring the unfortunate incidents in Andhra and Rayalaseema region.’’
–Agencies