Jagan calls for joint fight to keep AP united

New Delhi, Feb 17 (INN): Taking the bull by its horns in the national capital YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has renewed his diatribe against Congress for its divisive politics and appealed to all opposition parties to rekindle the democracy which was mocked in the Parliament with the introduction of the AP Reorganisation Bill 2013.

'I appeal to all the opposition Parties, including the main opposition BJP which has over 100 MPs in the lower House, to stand up against the injustice being meted out to Andhra Pradesh and appeal to all forces and organisations seeking a united state to join hands and fight a battle of unity to save our state,' he said addressing a rally at the Jantar Mantar grounds here on Monday.

The coming three days are very crucial in the history of our State and I appeal to all opposition parties to question the undemocratic division of Andhra Pradesh as this would set a bad precedent. I appeal to leaders of our state to keep set aside the differences and mount pressure on opposition parties to question the Congress and its undemocratic division, he said.

The political system has degenerated to low levels and Delhi has turned very authoritarian and undemocratic. Any state in the country would have been divided only after taking the assembly and will of the people into account and this has been the practice for the past 60 years.

No state was divided without following this golden rule which was also supported by the recommendation of a Report submitted by a Commission appointed for that purpose.

When it came to Andhra Pradesh all caution and rules were thrown to winds and the recommendation of Sri Krishna Commission that the best option is to keep the state united is also set aside and Congress has decided to divide the state for the sake of votes and seats.

Delhi has slaughtered democracy by taking up the division bill even after the state assembly has rejected the division and majority of the people are against the bifurcation. The Speaker took her seat and within 10 seconds announced that the Bill was tabled.

In normal course, the concerned minister should seek permission of the Chair for introducing the Bill and the Speaker should take the opinion of the House whether or not the members are in favour of the Bill and the majority prevails.

The entire exercise was given a go by and amidst the din the Bill was said to be introduced within 10 seconds. We went to the Speaker's chamber to protest against the undemocratic tabling of the Bill.

I was joined by LK Advani, Sushma Swaraj (BJP) and floor leaders of AIADMK, SP, BJP and JD (U). Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamalmath were also present in the Chamber and when we did not get a proper response we have walked out of the Chamber, he said.

The Bill may come up for debate to the House tomorrow. We should muster support from the Opposition and see to it that the Bill is stalled. There are many seniors in the House and nobody must have seen the way Congress is playing the divide and rule policy to perfection, more perfect than the British even.

Delhi is only dividing the state for electoral gains. It is of the opinion that if Telangana is divided Congress, which is facing a heavy anti-incumbency wave, will gain some of the 17 seats in the region but the fact remains that both people of Telangana and Seemandhra will suffer in the aftermath of the irrational division.

People who do not have a grasp of the State affairs and the consequences arriving out of the division are trying to split the state and this has to be stopped, he said.

Once the state is divided, farmers along the River Krishna ayacut will resort to squabbles across 11 districts, three of which are in Telangana region.

When the state is united itself, we are not getting a drop of water unless the needs of upper riparian states of Maharashtra and Karnataka were fulfilled, if another state comes in between, there will be no water from the southern tip of Kuppam to northern point of Srikakulam.

Hyderabad is the other contentious issue, as 60 % of the revenue comes from there and if we are to leave the city where will the youth go to seek jobs. If mulki system is introduced after the division what will be the future of students of Seemandhra, he asked.

The united Andhra Pradesh stands third in the country in terms of budgetary allocations, once divided one piece will be vying for the 9th place while the other part will be fighting for 13th place. The division is irrational and we have to fight it out, he said.

The meeting observed one minute silence to mourn the death of a government servant who died of cardiac arrest. He has come to attend another rally here. YSRCP cadre will also join that rally on Tuesday to express solidarity.

He has given a call to the cadre to march towards Parliament. Police foiled the march midway.

In interview to a national TV channel, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said that his party will support anyone who will assure a united state and Narender Modi is not an exception.

Congress has been playing divisive politics and wanted to split the state to gain some of the seats in Telangana region by bifurcating the state as it has become clear that it will not win a single seat on its own. It has been whipping regional passions to break the state.

If we are silent at this stage it will set a bad precedent. Article 3 is being blatantly misused and our single point agenda is to keep the state united and will support whoever is in agreement with us as the federal spirit of the nation is at stake.

'I think wisdom dawns upon the opposition parties and will join us in the fight to keep the state untied. BJP with its 100 MPs has to take the lead and question the authoritarian Congress. I am nobody and have only 3 MPs which is the reason why I am appealing to all opposition parties to extend support,' he said.

He brushed aside the question that Congress has a deal with him. I am fighting Congress all the time and if someone says that Congress is trying to keep me happy, it is a blatant lie and not a single example can be shown.

'If the reference is on the bail issue, in normal course any citizen should be getting bail in three months but in my case it took over 16 months,' he said.