Opposition Leader in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj on Sunday demanded that the Centre table a bill in Parliament for formation of Telangana state, alleging that Congress has betrayed the people of the region on the statehood issue.
"The government should introduce a bill for formation of separate Telangana in the next session of Parliament and the BJP would fully support it," she told a convention of Telangana protagonists organised by the BJP in Hyderabad .
Slamming the government's reported idea to appoint a committee headed by a Supreme Court judge on the issue, she said it is nothing but an attempt to put the issue on the backburner. "All consultations and talks are over. Further consultations are not acceptable. They should table a bill in Parliament in the next session," she said.
The Centre would have to accede to the Telangana demand as all sections of society in Telangana have come together setting aside all differences, she said. "Every idea has its time. The idea of formation of separate Telangana state has come," she said. Congress has betrayed the people of Telangana on the separate statehood demand, Swaraj alleged.
"Home Minister (P Chidambaram) had announced before the media on December 9 that cases against students will be withdrawn, Chandrasekhar Rao would call off his fast and we will move towards the formation of Telangana state. People thought it is a gift of Sonia Gandhi on her birthday. But how can the government go back on its promise after making the statement on TV?
"This is nothing but a betrayal of the people of Telangana. But how many times you will cheat? Separate Telangana agitation was held in 1969. Separate Andhra movement took place in 1972. How many times you will cheat?" Swaraj said she made every effort to raise the issue in Parliament.
"I did table a private members bill on Telangana. But President's consent is needed to take it up before debate. The President did not give approval because the matter concerned the division of a state," Swaraj said.
The NDA government would have formed the Telangana state along with Jharkhand, Chattisgarh and Uttarakhand but the Telugu Desam, which extended outside support to it, opposed the plan, she said. She appealed to the students and Telangana supporters not to commit suicides for the cause.
Leaders of backward class outfits fighting for separate Telangana said they don't want a separate state of landlords and the rich but a Telangana where social justice is ensured. PTI
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