In his address to the AP Assembly and Council, AP Governor E S L Narasimhan strongly condemned the way in which Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated.
AP Governor E S L Narasimhan on Saturday strongly condemned the way in which the State of Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated.
"The decision to bifurcate the united State of Andhra Pradesh, and the manner it was done, has left behind a deep sense of disappointment and a trail of bitter memories. Popular sentiments, aspirations and expectations of a large section of the populace, remain unfulfilled. The unscientific way of bifurcation has also left a deep scar on the psyche of Telugu people. These wounds would take some time to heal," said the Governor while addressing the joint session of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly and Council.
The Governor said that a large section of the populace perceiving exclusion does not augur well for the polity.
"The discords and inconsistencies such as relating to distribution of assets and liabilities, allocation of power generating units, the procedures adopted in the distribution of personnel and in the demarcation of boundaries, warrant a relook to fulfill the aspirations of the people," he said.
More consistent principles and uniformity in the bases for the apportioning of debt, power sharing and issues in the field of education, and a more equitable distribution of cadre, were the needs of the hour, he said.
"Telugu-speaking people have witnessed a turbulent history of State demarcation, and the current reorganisation is yet another deep scar on their heart and sentiments. The Telugu people had to shift out of Madras to Kurnool for self-identity, and then to Hyderabad on linguistic basis. Now, the people of the present State of Andhra Pradesh are without a capital to name. The instability of political geography has repeatedly pushed the Telugu people away from the path of development and progress," the Governor said in his address.
Narasimhan said that the provisions made in the A P Reorganisation Act, 2014, for the development of State of Andhra Pradesh were wholly inadequate, and could not compensate for the loss of opportunity, and would leave the State severely disadvantaged.
"Income generation and employment opportunities, health and educational institutions, R&D and training facilities, and the social infrastructure are significantly short of the requirements of the new State in its endeavors for development. The division is yet to address the vital issue of a new capital, which has also created an avoidable uncertainty," he said.
During his 35-minute-long speech, the Governor has also listed out the priorities of the new government of Andhra Pradesh. He read out the 32-page-long address on the floor of the House in the presence of Speaker Kodela Siva Prasad Rao, Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, Leader of the Opposition Y S Jaganmohan Reddy and others. (INN)