India Parliament gives nod to Telangana bill amid din

Telangana is on the threshold of becoming the 29th state of the Indian Union with the Rajya Sabha (upper house of parliament) passing the historic AP Reorganization Bill, 2013, by voice vote amid an unprecedented 10 adjournments following pandemonium on Thursday.

All that is required now for the division of Andhra Pradesh is the formality of President Pranab Mukherjee putting his seal on the bill.

The bill was pushed through by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in both Lok Sabha, the lower house of parliament, and Rajya Sabha, the upper house, even as the two houses of parliament was witness to some of the most unruliest scenes ever witnessed in independent India, with members resorting to spraying pepper in the house, uprooting the presiding officers’ mikes and even physically assaulting parliament officials. The mayhem had resulted in expulsions and suspensions of members of parliament.

With the passage of the bill, supported by the principal opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the curtains came down on the contentious issue of separate statehood for Telangana which had seen several violent movements in the southern state in the past six decades.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced special status for five years for Seemandhra — the residual state of Andhra Pradesh following creation of a separate Telangana.

Speaking in the Rajya Sabha on the bill to create a separate Telangana state, the prime minister announced a six-point package for Seemandhra, meeting some of the demands of main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). “For purposes of central assistance, special category status will be extended to the successor state of Andhra Pradesh comprising 13 districts, including the four districts of Rayalaseema and the three districts of north coastal Andhra for a period of five years. This will put the state’s finances on a firmer footing,” the prime minister said.

Reading his statement amid din and slogan shouting by members opposing the bill, he said the central government would take appropriate fiscal measures, including offer of tax incentives to promote industrialisation and economic growth in both the states.

“These incentives will be along the lines extended to some other states.” Manmohan Singh also declared that the appointed day for the formation of the new state will be so fixed in relation to the notified date so as to enable preparatory work relating to personnel, finance and distribution of assets and liabilities to be completed satisfactorily. As BJP leaders raised concerns about the possible revenue deficit in Seemandhra, the prime minister said the resource gap that may arise in the first year will be compensated in the regular union budget for 2014-15.

“I hope these additional announcements will demonstrate our steadfast commitment to not just the creation of Telangana but also to the continued prosperity and welfare of Seemandhra,” he added.

The division, or demerger as some Telangana protagonists would like to describe it, comes at a time when the country is headed for general elections in the summer with both the key players in national politics, the United Progressive Alliance led by the Congress and the National Democratic Alliance headed by the BJP, having a lot at stake politically.

news@khaleejtimes.com

(With IANS input)