There have been varied reactions across the state to the
Terms of Reference (ToR) announced today of the Justice Srikrishna Committee created to solve the Telangana conundrum. Mostly, they are being seen as anti-Telangana.
One of the more visible faces of the movement, TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao, has said that the Centre has cheated the people of Telangana, and that the Committee needs no more than a week to conduct its study (the Committee has been given a deadline of December 31, 2010, to submit its report). He alleged that Seemandhra leaders forced the ToR to be what they are.
KCR has also said that the TRS legislators will all resign in protest against the ToR that do not even contain the word Telangana in them, and that the party politburo will meet tomorrow to decide on its future course of action.
Telangana Political JAC Convenor Kodandaram has opposed the ToR, asking how the issues of separate statehood for Telangana and united Andhra Pradesh can be studied together. He said that the deadline was too long.
Congress leaders have more or less welcomed the ToR of the Justice Srikrishna Committee. PCC chief D Srinivas has said that the Congress does not go back on its word, and that the people will get justice. He pooh-poohed the concept of resignations, saying that they do not serve any purpose, and that nobody has the guts to ask Congressmen for resignations. He also said that the timeframe is not what is important, and that what is important is that the Committee delivers justice.
Home Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy too welcomed the Committee's ToR. CM Rosaiah said that he will respond on the ToR after studying them. Most Congress T leaders are in the same mode, with only Madhu Yashki so far coming out against the ToR in some degree.
TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu said that he would respond on the ToR after studying them, but the party's Telangana MLAs have decided to resign. TDP Telangana leader Erraballi Dayakar Rao has said that he does not trust the Committee, and that he opposes the ToR. Kadiyam Srihari echoed similar views, saying that the Committee aims to put the issue in cold storage.
Lone PRP T-MLA, Nirmal MLA Maheshwar Reddy, has said that he is resigning right away in protest against the ToR.
BJP's Bandaru Dattatreya has said that the ToR are against the Telangana people, and that the long period given to the Committee makes it look like the Centre wants to put the issue in cold storage again.
Seemandhra leaders appear fairly satisfied with the ToR of the Committee. Guntur MP Rayapati Sambasiva Rao said that the issue would be resolved amicably quite soon, and Eluru MP Kavuri Sambasiva expressed satisfaction, too.
Meanwhile, the Committee had its first meeting today, and is reportedly wasting no time in getting to work.