Telangana issue casts its shadow on Sankranti festival

The proposed bifurcation of the Andhra Pradesh had its impact on the Makar Sankranti celebrations in the state Tuesday.

For the second consecutive day, copies of Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill 2013 were burnt in 'Bhogi' fire in Seemandhra as Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra are together known.

In Bhogi fire, people burn old agricultural and household waste with a belief that new things would be ushered into their lives.

Those opposing formation of Telangana state threw the bill copies in the bonfire at various places.

State Infrastructure Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao and other leaders of Congress party burnt the bill copies in Visakhapatnam to oppose state's bifurcation.

"The bill copies are being burnt as the bill is drafted against the public opinion," said the minister.

In Telangana, the demand for a separate state reflected in the celebrations. In Karimnagar, Nizamabad and other districts, women put 'Rangoli' in front of their houses with the slogan of 'Jai Telangana'.

Telangana supporters set afire an effigy of Seemandhra employees' leader P. Ashok Babu to condemn his action of burning the Telangana bill.

The bill sent to the state assembly last month by President Pranab Mukherjee for its opinion is being debated in the assembly.