Concerns of some people on Telangana misplaced: Digvijay

He said that though the division of a state is a difficult decision to make, it is a necessary one to make

Amid protests in parts of Andhra Pradesh over the decision of Congress and its allies to create Telangana, party leader Digvijay Singh today said "division of a state like division of a family is an unpleasant decision" but a time comes when it has to be done in interest of both.

A meeting of Congress Working Committee, the party's apex decision making body had yesterday passed a resolution for creation of Telangana despite mounting pressure from anti-Telangana leaders in Andhra Pradesh to put off the idea.

Announcing the decision, party leaders had maintained that it was a "difficult" decision and one of the leaders, speaking on the condition of anonymity, had averred that difficulties existed not only in taking the decision but it would be difficult even to implement it.

"Division of a state like a division of a family is an unpleasant decision but a time comes when it has to be done in the interest of both," Singh commented on microblogging site Twitter.

At the same time, he sought to ally the apprehensions among residents of other regions of the state Rayalseema and Seemandhra over Telangana's creation.

"I haven't understood why Andhra settlers feel threatened? Once they are registered voters of H'bad they are residents of H'bad.

"Every citizen of India has a right to own property in any part of the country. Therefore, the concerns of some people are misplaced," Singh said in separate tweets.

Responding to a tweet that flagged apprehensions of settlers from non-Telangna regions in Hyderabad, Singh had assured them that nobody's settlement will be demolished there.

 

The Congress general secretary also sought to allay concerns over the lack of resources in other two regions of Andhra Pradesh after the bifurcation of the state.

 

"Seemandhra with a long coastline and huge reserves of gas has tremendous potential of growth. In fact they would be surplus in electricity," he had said.

 

Singh's Twitter account is flooded with concerns and criticism over the creation of Telangana by stakeholders from the other regions. There are also others, who have hailed the decision.

 

Yesterday, when asked by reporters if there was some opposition within the Congress to Telangana, Singh had asserted "Congress party stands solidly behind the decision taken at the AICC."

 

The Congress Working Committee, the highest decision-making body, yesterday decided to recommend to the central government to form the 29th state which will comprise 10 districts.

 

Hyderabad, considered the crowning jewel of the Telangana region, will be the joint capital of the newly-proposed state and the other regions--Rayalaseema and Andhra--for a period of 10 years. A new capital for Andhra will be identified Seemandhra region within this period.