New Delhi: Protests erupted within the Congress soon after the Union Cabinet cleared the way for dividing Andhra Pradesh to create Telangana with six ministers quitting from the Union Council of Ministers till Friday. Anti-Telangana protests were also witnessed in Seemandhra and the region is witnessing a 72-hour bandh from Saturday.
Textiles Minister KK Samba Siva Rao and Minister of State for Railways Kotla Surya Prakash Reddy put down their papers on Friday evening. Earlier in the day, Human Resources Development Minister Pallam Raju resigned from the Cabinet. Tourism Minister K Chiranjeevi was the first minister to resign on Thursday, hours after the decision on Telangana was taken.
Minister of State for Commerce D Purandeswari and MoS for IT and Communications Killi Kruparani have also submitted their resignations, according to their aides.
YS Congress chief Jagan Mohan Reddy will start an indefinite hunger strike from Saturday accusing the Congress-led UPA government of creating Telangana without any logic and with an eye on votes. Jagan said he would strongly protest against the "unjust" decision and appealed to other parties and leaders to support him and take part in his protest against the Centre's decision. "I request all parties to join me, I request Chandrababu Naidu as well (to join me)," he said.
TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu would also begin fast-unto-death in Delhi from October 7.
The 13 districts in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions of the state, already witnessing protests for over two months, descended into chaos on Friday morning with supporters of united Andhra Pradesh taking to streets against the Centre's move. The protesters blocked highways and railway tracks and forced closure of shops, business establishments as well as educational institutions.
The shutdown called by Andhra Pradesh Non-Gazetted Officers Association and other pro-united Andhra outfits to protest the Centre's decision saw sporadic incidents of violence, including attacks on Congress party offices, as normal life was thrown out of gear.
Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde described the protests in Seemandhra region against bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh as quite natural, saying wherever a new state is carved out, such feelings are bound to come. "We will take them into confidence. We will try our level best. After all, wherever there is bifurcation of any state, such feelings are there. It is natural. No one can avoid these. But we have to console them. We will try to console them," he said.
The government, however, seems determined to go ahead with the bifurcation. It has announced a Group of Ministers which will work out the modalities which includes P Chidambaram and Shide.
The government has bitten the bullet and hopes to create Telangana in 60 days but it remains to be seen whether the GoM will manage to solve all political and security ramifications of this decision.
(With additional information from PTI)
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