Shinde Downplays Seemandhra Protests And Resignations

Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on Friday downplayed the ongoing Seemandhra agitation over the Union Cabinet's decision to bifurcate the state.

Talking to media persons, Shinde said, "The protests in the Seemandhra region are quite natural, and similar reactions were seen when other states were bifurcated."

He merely said that some ministers from the Seemandhra region have expressed apprehensions over the decision.

Referring to the spate of resignations, he said that such reactions are common. However, he said that efforts would be made to console and convince the leaders. The Centre would take measures to address the concerns over the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, he said.

The Home Minister avoided a direct reply to the question of demands for separate states in the country. "Now we have considered Telangana. Nothing more than that," he said.

Shinde also ruled out the possibilities of increase in Naxalite activities after the state's division. He said that Andhra Pradesh has successfully curbed Naxal activities, and that the same would be the case after the formation of Telangana. (INN)