Agencies/New Delhi
Parliament yesterday gave its approval to carve out Telangana out of Andhra Pradesh with the Rajya Sabha, the upper house, passing the bill for the creation of India’s 29th state despite raucous protests by lawmakers opposed to the move.
The bill to create Telangana was passed with the backing of the ruling Congress Party and the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party.
“The bill is passed,” said P J Kurien, the deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha who presided over the vote on a day that saw a series of attempts to block the passage of the bill.
The president’s assent to the bill will be the final step towards the creation of the new state, which the Congress Party wanted achieved before national elections due by May.
Lawmakers who opposed the splitting of Andhra Pradesh shouted slogans, held placards in protest and even tore copies of the bill as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh attempted to address the house.
Singh, whose speech was drowned in the din, announced a six-point development package for Seemandhra, the new divided region of Andhra Pradesh.
“For purposes of central assistance, Special Category Status will be extended to the successor state of Andhra Pradesh comprising 13 districts, including the four districts of Rayalaseema and the three districts of north coastal Andhra for a period of five years. This will put the state’s finances on a firmer footing,” Singh said.
Members of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam staged a walkout before the bill was passed, while the Shiv Sena, Trinamool Congress and Samajwadi Party were among the parties that opposed the bill.
Seemandhra members belonging to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) raised slogans of ‘Save Andhra Pradesh, Save Democracy’ near the chairman’s podium during the debate on the bill.
Before the bill was passed, BJP leader Arun Jaitley said there was need to amend the constitution on proposal of powers given to the governor concerning law and order. However, the government did not agree to his suggestion.
Jaitley said that the process of creating Telangana by bifurcating Andhra Pradesh should be “legally correct.”
“Law and order belongs to state. Governor is a representative of the central government. Can you do so (give him the powers of law and order) without amending constitution?” he asked.
After the bill was passed, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath expressed his happiness, saying there was demand for Telangana state for almost 60 years.
Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said that the bill had been passed with the support of several parties.
Supporters have campaigned for 53 years for economically deprived Telangana, which they say has been neglected by successive state governments.
But wealthier regions of Andhra Pradesh, home to IT giants including Google and Microsoft, have strongly opposed the split which they say would create economic upheaval.
Hyderabad, the IT hub, will serve as joint capital of both states for at least the next 10 years.
Andhra Pradesh, created in 1956, was India’s first state to be set up on grounds of a shared language and laid down a precedent for establishing states along linguistic lines.
u201cFor purposes of central assistance, Special Category Status will be extended to the successor state of Andhra Pradesh comprising 13 districtsu201d
