Make Telangana a reality by New Year

NIZAMABAD: Playing up the Telangana issue, BJP leader L K Advani today asked the UPA government to shun its "indecisiveness" and make the statehood dream a reality by New Year."I hope that in year 2012 this long held desire of the Telangana people will be met. By January 1, 2012, the dream of Telangana will be realised provided Dr. Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi take a firm decision and present the necessary bill in the beginning of the Winter Session of Parliament," he said.Advani asserted that there was no need for an assembly resolution for the formation of the state of Telangana and Parliament could form a separate state within the winter session itself."These days I have been hearing that first of all what is needed is a resolution by the state assembly or something of that effect. Let me emphasise that the Constitution of India does not provide anything of that kind," Advani said.In a press conference during his yatra, the former Deputy Prime Minister said that, "It is UPA-II which in its last two years has been absolutely indecisive and this region of Andhra Pradesh is one that has been very badly affected by this condition of the UPA." He accused the UPA government of going back on its statehood promise and dragging the region into misery."The government itself through its then Home Minister announced that they would be forming the state of Telangana but within 15 days they went back on the promise with the result that this region is in a condition today which has not been witnessed in any part of the country in the 60 years," Advani said, adding, "It is a shocking state of affairs that only because the government cannot take a decision, youth are committing suicide." Referring to the carving out of Jharkhand, Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh, he said two chief ministers of the undivided states had publicly opposed the formation of these states."So we suggested that the NDA government in New Delhi will carve out these states because the formation of the new states under Article 3 is the responsibility of the central government and Parliament," he added."If Parliament decides there is no obligation mandatory or otherwise of assembly passing resolution and in this particular case if only the Government of India makes up its mind, with the support of the principal opposition, namely the BJP there would be absolutely no hurdle in passing a Bill for the formation of Telangana in the winter session of the Parliament," the BJP leader said.Asked why his party ignored the feelings of non-Telangana regions, Advani said he appreciated the sentiments of people who favour a united Andhra Pradesh but the BJP supports smaller states for administrative convenience.