CPI to government: Decide on Telangana fast

[caption id=“attachment_100067” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Members of Indian parliament hold posters during a protest inside the parliament complex in New Delhi. Reuters”]  [/caption] New Delhi: The CPI today asked the government to take an immediate decision on Telangana statehood demand, saying any further consultations on the issue would be “an exercise in futility” as all parties have already given their views. With the agitation in the region of Andhra Pradesh entering the 24th day and the administration being “totally paralysed”, CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan said “the people have spoken” on the issue. In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, he said the political parties have also made their stand clear on the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and creation of a separate state of Telangana. “A decision on the separate state of Telangana together with the time-plate for its urgent and early realisation” be taken forthwith, Bardhan said, adding that any “further consultation is an exercise in futility”. “You are no doubt aware that the CPI has long back declared its support for Telangana together with all safeguards for the residual state. All parties are now demanding that the Government must take a firm and final decision on the matter without further delay,” he said. Observing that the situation was going from “bad to worse” with the economy being hit hard and people suffering, he said, “I am surprised that the state government is resorting to intimidation and repression of the agitating people.” Bardhan alleged that the state government was also “denying much needed power and water for the kharif crop in Telangana. This can only provoke the people further and add fuel to the fire”. Noting that the agitation has remained “remarkably peaceful”, he said the CPI was particular that there should be no flare up of animosity between the two Telugu-speaking parts of Andhra Pradesh and “the parting should be as brothers”. PTI