Centre firm on Telangana, rejects CM's arguments
NEW DELHI: Despite rejection of T bill by the State Assembly, the Centre is firm on tabling it in the Parliament session beginning Feb 5.
The Congress core committee, which met in Delhi on Friday under the leadership of party chief Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, decided to complete the T process without delay.
Soon after the meeting, Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde made it clear the rejection of bill would not come in the way of formation of the Telangana State. 'I am sure the T bill will be passed.
There will be no problem,' he told reporters and denied seeking legal opinion from the Attorney General on Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy's resolution rejecting the bill.
The Home Ministry has, in fact, sent a letter to the Prime Minister's Office rejecting the contention of the Chief Minister that the bill, sent to the Assembly, was not final and as such, misleading.
Sources in the Home Ministry said Parliament could go ahead with the legislative process as per Article 3. The Group of Ministers (GoM) on Telangana will be meeting on Feb 4 to incorporate/suggest amendments to the draft AP Reorganisation Bill-2013.
Further reinforcing the Congress stand, party State affairs incharge Digvijaya Singh and spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said the bill will be tabled in the ensuing Parliament session. Both Singh and Singhvi predictably harped on BJP's support for the bill.
While Singh expressed confidence that the saffron party will endorse it in Parliament, Singhvi sounded combative. 'Parties, who have been shedding crocodile tears, will be exposed. It remains to be seen to what extent they cooperate,' he said.
Singhvi also said T bill is on top of the government's agenda for the upcoming session alongside anti-corruption bills and vote-on-account. Digvijaya Singh, who touched down in Hyderabad on way to Gulbarga, had strong words for Kiran.
'Why didn't he raise his objections before the CWC decision?' he asked but ruled out action against the CM.
News Posted: 1 February, 2014
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