RS adjourned over demand for Telangana

The Rajya Sabha witnessed adjournment on Friday over the demand for the creation of a separate state of Telangana.

A statement by senior Congress leader Hanuman Rao led to the furor when he said that Home Minister P Chidambaram had made a statement on the creation of Telangana in 2010 only after TDP leader Chandrababu had promised support to it.

Rao said that the home minister made the statement on December 9, 2010, on starting the process of creation of Telangana after Naidu had said that he would support it.

 Rao’ s statement came while participating in a debate on the Private Member’s resolution moved by BJP leader Prakash Javadekar, seeking formation of separate state of Telangana.

TDP member Devendra Goud sharply reacting to the Congress member’ s remarks said Rao was trying to blame his party for Chidambaram’s statement and demanded a clarification on it.

Javadekar said that Congress was asking for other parties’ position on the Telangana issue while avoiding to disclose its own stand. “All parties are present here and let everyone, including Congress, make its stand clear,” he demanded.

This led to pandemonium in the House, with members from both sides standing on their seat and accusing each other of misleading the people and ignoring the seriousness of the issue. The chair adjourned the House for 30 minutes. When the House reassembled to discuss the resolution, Rao asked for a solution. Basawaraj Patil (BJP) wanted the government to consider the sentiments of the agitating people of Telangana demanding separate statehood.

Y S Chowdhury (TDP) referred to the all round decline in  Telangana, including the deteriorating law and order situation, and desperation among students and youth over the issue. He asked for a solution  to the tangle from the Centre. Senior Congress leader Renuka Chaudhury opposed his views and accused the Opposition of trying to mislead the House.

Both the Opposition and the ruling side were trying to blame each other. The debate could not be completed for  lack of time and it was slated for the next session of Parliament.