TRS chief hits out at Chidambaram over Telangana

HYDERABAD: TRS on Monday night hit out at Union Home Minister P Chidambaram accusing him of not taking into cognisance the en masse resignations of Congress and TDP lawmakers over Telangana statehood issue."I am asking Home Minister Chidambaram (that) more than 100 people's representatives of Telangana have resigned, is it not a congnisable matter? Instead of taking it seriously, Chidambaram spoke in an improper manner today," party president K Chandrasekhar said here.He was referring to Chidambaram's comments in Delhi that the resignations is not an alarming matter and that the Centre is yet to take a final view on the statehood issue.Training his guns on the reported comments of Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, incharge of Congress affairs in Andhra Pradesh, that consensus is needed on the Telangana issue, Rao wondered how can there be consensus on the decades-old matter."When freedom movement was going on, whose views you are supposed to take? Indians or the British? There can never be total consensus from non-Telangana regions. You have to take the views of Telangana for formation of separate state."The entire Telangana society is unanimous in demanding separate statehood today," the TRS chief said.He asserted no force on earth can stop the formation of Telangana now as the political leaders across the spectrum and all sections of society have demanded separate state.Referring to the series of protests called by the Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC) over the issue, Rao said the agitation began like a "cyclone" and it would end only with the formation of Telangana.The TRS chief was speaking at a memorial meeting for Telangana ideologue K Jayashankar who died last month.Reiterating the BJP's support if Telangana Bill is introduced in Parliament, state BJP president G Kishan Reddy asked why should the Congress-led UPA Government talk about consensus over the long-pending issue.Social activist Swami Agnivesh, who has been a supporter of the statehood demand, said social justice should be ensured if the separate Telangana is formed.Recalling his role as a mediator for talks between the Centre and Maoists, he claimed that Naxal leader Azad, who was ready for dialogue, was killed in a fake encounter.No judicial probe was ordered into the last year's incident though he demanded for it, Agnivesh alleged and expressed the hope that the CBI inquiry ordered by the Supreme Court would bring out the truth.He also demanded that Chidambaram resign from his post for his comments on Telangana on Monday.