TRS, other Telangana groups reject Srikrishna panel report

Hyderabad/New Delhi, Jan 6 (PTI) TRS and other political
leaders from Telangana cutting across the spectrum on Thursday
rejected the Justice Srikrishna Committee report on the
contentious statehood issue saying it "failed to come up with
a clear solution".
Students agitating for the separate state hit the streets
and set a bus on fire in Osmania University campus, the hotbed
of Telangana movement, and clashed with security personnel who
hit back by exploding teargas shells.
The students’ joint action committee has called a
Telangana bandh tomorrow in protest against the report.
Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) chief K Chandrasekhar
Rao, spearheading the Telangana statehood agitation, said "we
are rejecting the options suggested by the Srikrishna
Committee.
"We want nothing but a Telangana state that existed prior
to November 1, 1956. The creation of an exclusive development
board for the region, as suggested by the Committee and
conversion of Hyderabad into a Union Territory are totally
unacceptable for us," he said.
"We cannot lose our right on Hyderabad," the TRS chief
said.
Telugu Desam Party's (TDP's) Telangana Forum convenor
Nagam Janardhana Reddy demanded the Centre table a Bill in the
Budget session of Parliament for creation of Telangana state
irrespective of the recommendations of the Srikrishna
Committee.
"The six recommendations made by the Committee have
compounded the chaos. They are an insult to the sentiments of
Telangana people. The government of India has no other option
but to respect the people’s sentiment and create Telangana
state," Janardhana Reddy said.
Congress legislators from Telangana too echoed similar
feelings saying the Centre should carve out a separate state
in accordance with its statement made on December 9, 2009.
"We want Telangana state and nothing else. We hope the
Centre will respect the wishes of people of the region and
grant statehood", Congress MLAs from Telangana R Damodar
Reddy, Gandra Venkata Ramana Reddy, Rajaiah, MLC Yadav Reddy
said.
BJP also pressed for early creation of Telagana saying
delay in formation of the state would harm the interests of
both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana region.
The party also accused the Congress-led UPA government of
acting in an "irresponsible and childish" manner on the
Telangana issue.
Senior TDP MLA from Bhanswada in Nizamabad district,
Pocharam Srinivasa Reddy on Thursday quit the party and joined
TRS.
Congress MLA Uttam Kumar Reddy said bifurcation of the
state into Andhra and Telangana was the only acceptable
option.
However, Andhra Pradesh CPI(M) leader B V Raghavulu
said status quo should be maintained on Telangana issue and
the Centre should come out with a solution.