We don't want to be a passive spectator : TRS

New Delhi, Aug 25 (UNI) The Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) today charged the Congress Party with "betrayal," and said its two ministers resigned from the Manmohan Singh cabinet as the party did not want to remain a passive spectator leaving 35 million people in the region in a state of continued negligence and frustration.

TRS leader A Narendra, who resigned from the cabinet along with Labour Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, said in the Lok Sabha that their resignations would help them to go back and join the fight of the people for a separate statehood for Telangana and achieve the cherished goal.

Making a statement explaining why the two TRS nominees in the government had resigned on Wednesday, he said the extreme decision to leave the ruling UPA and the government reflected the extreme frustration of Telangana people who "feel let down and betrayed." Mr Narendra, who was supported by three of his party colleagues, said that the Congress was a major political party which was opposed to the idea of a statehood for Telangana. At a recent meeting that the TRS had with the UPA allies, almost all the constituents, except for the Congress, vociferously supported the proposal. Six out of the 11 parties supporting the UPA government from outside were also not against the TRS demand. The BJP was very supportive of the cause while the CPI(M) had made it clear that it would not stand in the way if the Congress and the BJP were in favour of the demand.

The TRS has five members in the LOk Sabha. Mr Chandrasekhar Rao did not attend today's sitting.

Mr Narendra said the TRS had agreed to join the UPA during the 2004 May Lok Sabha elections as there was a categorical assurance from the Congress that a separate state of Telangana would be formed.

A sub-committee consituted under the chairmanship of Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee had completed its task of eliciting views of all political parties to arrive at a consensus on the issue.

''However, an impression is sought to be created that a consensus is yet to be arrived at. This is contrary to fact as a clear consensus on the score has already been achieved.'' Though the Congress had promised to find a solution to the Telangana issue in a week's time, it could not do anything towards that end even after 80 weeks.

He said the Congress had formed a sub-committee on the issue of Telangana, whereas there was no precedence of such kind when more than a dozen states were formed after independence.

Mr Narendra alleged that the Congress had been trying to impression that all round rapid development had been taking place under the present goveornment.''This is utter falsehood,'' he said.

Provoked by Mr Narendra's reply, Congress member Rajagopal said his party had never betrayed any political party.''Ours is a responsible national party.'' ''Leaders of political parties cannot act based on emotions and sentiments,'' he said.

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