Leaders who participate in Jal Deeksha to face HC ire: DS

The issue of some Congress leaders embarking a train along with Kadapa leader Ys Jaganmohan Reddy to take part in his ‘Jal Deekhsa’ has roused the ire of the party High Command, to the extent that it had asked Pradesh Congress Committee president D Srinivas to send a report.

This was revealed by Mr Srinivas himself ad Gandhi Bhavan on Monday when he told media persons that the Congress leaders who do take part in the protest, planned to be staged at the Jantar Mantar on Tuesday, would be breaching the party diktat of not aligning with Mr Jaganmohan Reddy.

Mr Srinivas warned the High Command would initiate serious disciplinary action against these for violating party diktat. The PCC chief said that the High Command was considering this as serious issue and asked him to submit a detailed report on those who participate in the Jal Deeksha.

Mr Jaganmohan Reddy has announced the dharna to highlight the adverse impact of the Krishna Water Dispute Tribunal’s verdict and to call on the Centre to protect the interests of farmers of the Krishna Delta.

Based on his report, the High Command would initiate action against the leaders, Mr Srinivas said.

Rubbishing the allegations that the Congress was not making its stand clear on Telangana state formation, he said that the Congress will stand by to its promise and never compromise on the statehood issue.

He lashed out at the main opposition party, the Telugu Desam Party, by saying that “unlike other parties, the Congress would not follow `double standards’ on the Telangana statehood issue.”

The PCC chief also called on the Telangana Congress leaders to stop criticising each other and unite in the fight for Telangana. He said that the onus is on the Congress leaders to highlight the importance of a separate state so that it expedites the process of formation of Telangana.

Mr Srinivas added that he was optimistic that the Centre would be able to convince the leaders from Seemandhra region about the need of bifurcating the state so that the splitting of Andhra Pradesh into two is painless for all.

When asked to comment on the Justice Srikrishna Committee Report, he said that it was appointed to study the problems in the region and make recommendations. “The Committee, in its Report has clearly highlighted how Telangana suffered injustice,” he said.

Mr Srinivas added that though every political party was making comments about the Telangana statehood issue, there was no need to make counter-comments on every point raised by them.

Reacting on the withdrawal of Forces from Telangana region, he said that maintaining law and order was imperative, the state police should have been used and the presence of Central Force was unwarranted.

He said a PCC meeting would be convened on Wednesday to discuss party agenda and Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy would also participate in the meeting.

Mr Srinivas said that the future course of action on how to go ahead with the pressure tactics to be adopted will be decided at the meeting to be held on January 11 at the Kalinga Bhavan in Banjara Hills. He called upon all Congress leaders to participate in the meeting.