New Delhi: The Srikrishna Report on Telangana has been presented to political parties from Andhra Pradesh. The report places before the government several options rather than recommendations, with the first option being that of status quo or a united Andhra Pradesh.
The report was presented by Home Minister P Chidambaram to five political parties from Andhra Pradesh.
Three main parties – Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP, the BJP, and K Chandrasekhar Rao’s TRS – boycotted the Home Minister’s meeting. KCR, who fronted the campaign for a new state, says there’s nothing to discuss. He will address a rally in Hyderabad later today. His son, KTR, said that the Congress government must deliver the Telangana state it promised in December 2009 after a massive hunger fast by his father. He did add, however, that the party would go through the report before deciding whether it would continue to boycott meetings with the Centre.
On the parties that skipped the meeting, Mr Chidambaram said, “I deeply regret the stand taken by them. It does scant justice to the valuable work done.” “Nevertheless, I propose to send a copy of the report to the parties that have chosen to stay away,” he said.
He then added, “I would urge you to read the report and the recommendations with an open mind and be prepared to persuade, and to be persuaded by, people who hold another point of view.” The Home Minister suggested that the group meet again later this month after regional leaders have read the report.
The massive Srikrishna Report lays out different options for the union government for how to handle the three parts of the state: Coastal Andhra, Telangana and Rayalaseema. They include:
* Maintain status quo
* Bifurcation of the State into Seemandhra and Telangana; with Hyderabad as a Union Territory and the two states developing their own capitals in due course
* Bifurcation of State into Rayala-Telangana and coastal Andhra regions with Hyderabad being an integral part of Rayala-Telangana
* Bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh into Seemandhra and Telangana with enlarged Hyderabad Metropolis as a separate Union Territory
* Bifurcation of the State into Telangana and Seemandhra as per existing boundaries with Hyderabad as the capital of Telangana and Seemandhra to have a new capital
* Keeping the State united by simultaneously providing certain definite Constitutional/Statutory measures for socio-economic development and political empowerment of Telangana region – creation of a statutorily empowered Telangana Regional Council
The Srikrishna Committee which was set up in February 2010 with the tough agenda of unraveling what “all sections of society” feel about the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. There are three regions – Telangana, Rayalaseema and Coastal Andhra. Those from Telangana want Hyderabad as the capital of a new state. The other two regions object strongly, not least because of Hyderabad’s commercial success as an IT mecca.
The issue is so complex that even the ruling Congress finds itself struggling to keep its politicians from Andhra Pradesh together. Leaders from Telangana met the Congress’ central leaders last night and said they will not surrender their demand for a new state. In recent weeks, Congress MPs and MLAs from the Telangana region have threatened to resign if the union government does not stand by them.
However, Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy said last night, “I also do not know what is in the report. Experts have gone into the issue (Telangana) in detail. Let us wait for them to submit the report. Let us see what is in it before making comments.”
Source : NDTV
SriKrishna Committee formed by Government of India under retired Justice B N SriKrishna submitted the report on Telengana issue on Dec 30, 2010. Today Home minister, Chidambaram called for all parties from Andhra Pradesh today to unveil SriKrishna Committee report, SriKrishna Committee report now available for download on internet.
IF you’re curious to read SriKrishna Committee report you can download PDF version of the report with 505 pages, it does take sometime for all political parties in Andhra Pradesh and interested people to read.
SriKrishna Committee report available on Ministry of Home Affairs websites for download:
http://mha.nic.in/pdfs/CCSAP-REPORT-060111.pdf 505 pages, [11 MB].