Centre's 3 T options akin to commercials: TDP

Reacting to media reports that the Congress High Command was considering three options on the separate Telangana statehood demand, senior Telugu Desam Party leader P Chandrasekhar Rao on Tuesday alleged that the Centre was playing games with the lives of people of the region.

Talking to media persons at NTR Trust Bhavan, Mr Chandrasekhar Rao alleged that the Centre was not treating the issue as a ‘people’s agitation’ but is instead treating it as a ‘commercial problem’.

“The Centre is treating the aspirations of the people from a ‘commercial’ angle. It is treating the aspirations on the lines of an advertisement before launching a new product and assumes that the statehood demand can be solved by offering gifts and giving other incentives,” he alleged.

The senior leader said the TDP was opposed to the three options reportedly floated by the Centre; time-bound solution to Telangana, forming Telangana state excluding Hyderabad and establishment of the Second States Reorganisation Commission.

Mr Chandrasekhar Rao asked the Congress why it had tied up with Telangana Rashtra Samithi in 2004 elections with a promise of Telangana and made an announcement through President in Parliament over the statehood issue.

“Was the Congress not aware at the time of making the promises that it would have to fulfil them? Why are they now floating the three options?,” he questioned.

The TDP leader demanded that the Congress-led UPA government introduce a Telangana Bill in the Monsoon Session of Parliament and stand by the December 9, 2009 announcement of Union Home Minister P Chidambaram.

Mr Chandrasekhar Rao further advised the Congress High Command to shy away from making such announcement as they are provocative and against the people’s aspirations.