Will Telangana movement blast over Azad's ballistic comment?

Hyderabad, Jul 13: A recent bombastic statement by Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is the in-charge of Andhra Congress, is enough to intensify the already existing Telangana agitation.

Azad, while attending a meeting od BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Health Ministers' conference, said that Srikrishna Commission was appointed only to avoid any agitation in Telangana. Denying any major impact from the commission report, Azad said that the Srikrishna report had failed to provide any solution to the long disputed issue - Telangana.

"Having realised that there might be an agitation, we had Srikrishna Commission," claimed that Congress leader. Explaining his views on the issue, Azad said, "A decision on formation of Telangana state cannot be taken without consensus among legislators of all regions of Andhra Pradesh."

Citing Azad's statement, many started asking - appointing Srikrishna Commission was a sham move? Was the ruling government not serious enough to come up with any concrete solution to the Telangana issue?

What is Telangana issue?

People of Telangana expressed dissatisfaction over the implementation of the agreements and guarantees when the Andhra Pradesh was created as a separate state. Various political parties like Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) whose single-point agenda was - creating a separate Telangana State with Hyderabad as its capital.

Recently, several political MPs and MLAs from Telangana region submitted their resignations over the inaction of the state and central governments on the Telangana issue.

What is Srikrishna Commission?

Citing the enormous protest and rage among the people from the region, the central government had appointed the Srikrishna Commission to fetch some resolutions to the disputed issue. The report, which was submitted on Jan 6, 2011 seem to be leaning towards a United Andhra and has listed out six options to satisfy the various warring factions within Andhra Pradesh.

What does Srikrishna Commission report say?

• The bifurcation of AP into Seemandhra (rest of Andhra) and Telangana region with Hyderabad considered as Union territory.
• The bifurcation of AP into Rayal Telanagana and Coastal Andhra with Hyderabad falling in the Rayal Telangana region. Enlarged Hyderabad being the capital here.
• Both bifurcated regions to have its own capital. Splitting of Hyderabad is considered the last option if there is no other way out.
• Possible formation of Regional Telangana Council.
• The panel has suggested maintaining status quo in the region. This is with reference to the central govt dealing with the volatile situation due to the Telangana problem. Reference has been made to the growing Maoist menace in the region as well that could worsen the present situation.
• The report also suggested that the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister be from the Telangana region so that the issues facing the region could be better represented. Also, if the CM is from the T-region then the Dy CM could be from the other and vice-versa.
• The other option that seem to be the most "workable" according to opinions from various party representatives is the creation of a 'United Andhra' with separate constitutional measures for Telangana.

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