Kiran Kumar Reddy requests the Centre to reconsider its decision to bifurcate AP to carve out Telangana.
Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Monday requested the Centre to reconsider its decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh to carve out Telangana.
Addressing a press conference after meeting the Group of Ministers (GoM) in Delhi, the Chief Minister reiterated that a division of the state would lead to several problems which would eventually affect the entire country.
He said that he had told the GoM that the division would escalate the security threat for both the regions. "On several occasions, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh himself stated that Naxalism is a major threat to the nation. Although we kept Naxal activity in check since 2006, it might escalate due to bifurcation," he said.
The Chief Minister said that larger states would have strong police machinery, and that therefore, it effectively controls issues like Maoist violence. However, a weak government and a weak police force would help in reviving Naxalites' activities in both the regions, he opined.
He said that several Central leaders of Naxalities belong to Andhra Pradesh, and that they would take advantage of the state's division.
Kiran Kumar Reddy also feared that the division would have an impact on anti-terrorism drives. Describing Hyderabad as a targeted city, he said that the state government has been taking several precautions to control terrorists' activities.
"It would also be difficult to control incidents of communal violence in a divided state," he said.
He said that nearly 25,000 of police forces from the Seemandhra region are deputed during the festival season in Hyderabad, and that this would not be possible after bifurcation.
Kiran Kumar Reddy also listed out other problems that would crop up after the state's division. Stating that Telangana would be more affected due to AP's division, he said that it might not get adequate water for irrigation and other needs due to river water sharing disputes.
He added that Telangana would be an energy deficit state. Plus, lakhs of employees too would face problems with regard to relocation, repatriation and retirement, he said.
The Chief Minister said that he had requested the GoM to reconsider the decision of dividing the state, and instead, to give the Telangana region a good package. He said that the division would have an ever-lasting and irrevocable affect on the entire state.
"As a person who is running the state, and with full authority, I am saying that these problems will come due to division. I've been working for the last 3 hree years as the Chief Minister, and I visualised these problems," he said, adding that the issue would be discussed in the state Legislative Assembly at length.
He said that it would be mandatory for the state government to conduct a session in the month of December, irrespective of whether the Telangana Bill is passed. (INN)