YSR Congress Observes AP Formation Day

The YSR Congress Party celebrated the Andhra Pradesh Formation Day at the Party headquarters on Saturday, and criticized the "foolhardiness" of the TDP Government in changing the historic date "without any valid reason".

"Due respect should be given to the historic facts, and Andhra Pradesh along with other States was formed on November 1 on a linguistic basis. I see no reason why Chandrababu Naidu should shift the date to June 2. Giving due respect to the sentiments of the Telugu people and the great people who made the state of Andhra Pradesh a reality, we are celebrating the Day today," Party President Y S Jaganmohan Reddy said at the function.

There had been precedents, and Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh had been observing November 1 as the State Formation Day even after the new States of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Uttarakhand respectively were carved out of them, he noted. The new States that emerged were having their own Formation Day.

"It is logical for Telangana to observe June 2 as State Formation Day as it was formed on that date, but the residual Andhra Pradesh remains part of the same that came into being on November 1," he reasoned.

There was no valid reason that the date should be changed, and the TDP cabinet decision to change the date was beyond any reasonable comprehension, he alleged.

"Chandrababu Naidu should change his mindset and stick to the original date of State formation, else we will revert to the date of November 1 as the State formation day after we come to power. The State has come into being as a result of many sacrifices, and as an integrationist Party, we are against the change of date," he averred. (INN)