Vijayamma To Go On Indefinite Fast

YSR Congress Party honorary president Y S Vijayamma will go on an indefinite fast from August 19 at Vijayawada, with the slogan "If you cannot do justice to all regions, at least maintain status quo."

"The indefinite fast is aimed at highlighting the failure of the Centre to do justice to all regions in the process of division of the state... by taking unilateral decisions which are affecting a multitude of people of one region," party senior leader Dr. M V Mysoora Reddy told reporters on Wednesday.

"If division is inevitable, the Centre should play the role of a responsible father, showing prudence and justice to all his children who are parting ways. The decision should be acceptable to all, and no one should be put to any disadvantage. But that is not the case in the state.

"Congress has been playing foul for the sake of a few seats, and the decisions it has taken are being projected as the Central government's policies. The party is trying to take consent from elected representatives at gun point or coercion, instead of looking at amicable solutions.

"The Centre had appointed the Justice Sri Krishna Committee, which submitted its report. It was not discussed before a conclusion was reached on the division. The Centre has now appointed a high-powered committee, which is only a Congress committee headed by A K Antony. The sanctity of the committee is not known. Why should anyone seek the PCC president's permission to speak to the committee?

"People of the state have every right to express their views, and need not take permission for it, that too from a state Congress president. There are apprehensions on various issues among the people, and many questions remain unanswered in case of the division of the state.

"Neither were important issues like river water sharing discussed, nor was any assurance was given. The logistics on natural resources and other issues were never discussed at any forum," said Mysoora Reddy.

"State in-charge of Congress affairs Digvijay Singh's talk does not reflect the feelings of the people. He has been the voice of the arrogant Congress, which is trying to convert party policies into government policies which are unilateral and dictatorial," he said.

Citing an example, he said, the sharing of Krishna river water would be a problem between Mahbubnagar (Bhima project) and the delta region in case of division. Most of the infrastructure, including dams, was created in the joint state. When there is a separation, distribution of amenities and assets should be done judiciously."

"The Centre has failed in delivering justice to all regions. In this backdrop, Y S Vijayamma will undertake an indefinite fast, demanding that the Centre maintain status quo if it cannot do justice to all regions," he said.

Later, he told the media that Digvijay Singh has been behaving like an extra-constitutional authority. He remarked that he was the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh when MP was divided and a resolution was passed in the state assembly.

"He can ask the state chief minister to move a resolution on the bifurcation in the Assembly and send it to the Centre if it is adopted by the House. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawathi had done the same thing," he said. (INN)