YSRCP to protest from Jan 3 over Telangana Bill debate

YSR Congress plans to undertake protests, beginning with a bandh on January 3, against the draft Telangana Bill being taken up for debate in the Andhra Pradesh legislature.
The winter session of the legislature resumes on January 3 and the draft bill is on its agenda for debate.
"The sanctity of the AP assembly is at question with Delhi dictating the proceedings and the state taking up discussion on the Bill. This is against the federal spirit.
"The Political Affairs Committee (PAC) of our party which met under the leadership of Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has decided to protest to highlight the undemocratic procedures that the AP state assembly is adopting," YSRCP leader M V Mysoora Reddy told reporters here today.

"We are calling for a bandh on January 3 along with all groups and organisations favouring a united state of Andhra Pradesh. On January 4 there will be a motorcycle rally.
"On January 6, human chains will be formed to express willingness to keep the state united and from January 7 to January 10, party cadre and integrationists will undertake relay hunger strikes," he said.

The Centre is going ahead with the process of bifurcating Andhra Pradesh without taking the assembly into confidence and without following healthy parliamentary practices, he alledged.
Assembly resolutions formed the basis for bifurcation when states like Maharashtra, Punjab, Assam were reorganised, he said.

"When it came to Andhra Pradesh, there has been no basis and no resolution has been passed. But the Congress is dealing with the issue as if it is an internal party affair.
"We oppose this sternly and press for a resolution to be adopted in the house," he said.
"Depending on assembly proceedings, we will take our decisions to take forward the fight for a united Andhra Pradesh," he said.