BJP wants Sonia to break 'stoic silence' on Telangana issue

Hyderabad, Nov 23 (UNI) Charging Congress leaders with issuing ''self-contradictory statements and vitiating political atmosphere,'' the BJP today appealed to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to break her ''long silence'' on the issue before the December 4 Karimnagar Lok Sabha byelection.

''Our party is now moving a Private Member's Bill in Parliament in fulfilment of the demand and aspirations of 3.5 crore people of Telangana and our promise to them. We fervently hope and wish you support our Bill for Telangana state and honour your promise,'' BJP National Secretary B Dattatreya said in a letter to Ms Gandhi.

Raising a series of questions, he asked ''When you are for Telangana, why don't you support our private member's Bill in Parliament? Or why don't you show initiative to introduce an official Bill for Telangana in the ongoing winter session of Parliament.'' Referring to AICC General Secretary Digvijay Singh's assertion that the Congress would not support the BJP's Bill in Parliament, Mr Dattatreya, who is also state BJP president said ''The message is loud and clear that the Congress will not create Telangana state. At least now will you break your stoic silence,'' he asked.

''The Congress party's stand is becoming hazier with the Karimnagar byelection. It is political duty of your party to clear the political haze and doubts of the people, who fear that they are being conned by you and your protracted silence. You may agree with me that silence and half-truths are dangerous omen in democracy,'' the former Union Minister said.

The BJP, which stood for smaller states, be it in word and dead as witnessed in creation of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Uttaranchal, was for revival of statehood for the Telangana region, he asserted in the letter.

''Is it not fact that the Congress party promised creation of Telangana state in the Common Minimum Programme of the UPA, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's speech and President A P J Abdul Kalam's address,'' he asked, adding that ''Why did not the UPA sub-committee on Telangana meet seriously to take a comprehensive view on Telangana state.'' ''Has not the APCC President gone on record that the process of consensus on Telangana is 80 per cent complete with the passage of resolution by the BJP? Then why does Congress party keeps the process incomplete? Will your party make it 100 per cent by adopting a resolution for Telangana,'' Mr Dattatreya asked.

UNI SM ROY 1752