The Hindu : CPI calls for consensus on Paragodu issue

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 13, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

CPI calls for consensus on Paragodu issue

By Our Staff Reporter

VIJAYAWADA JUNE 12. The Communist Party of India(CPI) demanded that the State Government bring about a consensus among all political parties before negotiating with Karnataka Government on Paragodu issue. The party State secretary, S. Sudhakar Reddy, addressing a press conference here today criticised the TDP for making Paragodu a party affair. He said the TDP was turning Paragodu into a controversy without involving the Opposition parties only to divert attention from the irrigation projects for which it laid the foundation stone but failed to execute.

Mr. Reddy said the Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, was the primary reason for the development of the separate Telangana movement. Mr. Naidu laid foundation stones for the Devadula, Jurala and the Bheema Irrigation projects and none of them have been taken up. Despite repeated demands no efforts were made to save the industries in the region. He said the State Government should allocate Rs. 5,000 crores for the development of the region. Suggesting ways and means of raising the money Mr. Reddy said that the Government could sell the Nizam's jewels which were worth about Rs. 10,000 crores. "The jewels are after all the sweat and blood of people in the Hyderabad region,'' Mr. Reddy said. He said the Cabinet could take a decision to sell the jewels. He also urged Mr. Naidu to cut-down the huge expenditure incurred on helicopters, publicity and soak-pits.

Mr. Reddy said separating Telangana from the rest of the State would not help resolve problems of the area. The problems of the region however needed to be highlighted, so the CPI was launching an agitation demanding the Government to come out with a Rs. 5,000-crore package to develop Telangana region in tune with the `Warangal Declaration'.

The CPI would take out padayatras to cover 5,000 villages in the Telangana districts from June 23 and organise a massive rally in Hyderabad on August 15 to press for the party's demand. Mr. Reddy hoped that the agitation programme of his party would pacify the people of Telangana and make them drop the demand for a separate State. The CPI State secretary appealed to all secular parties including those in the NDA Government to withdraw support to the Bharatiya Janata Party in the wake of new developments in the party.

Our Hyderabad Special Correspondent writes: The State Council of the CPI, has criticised the Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu's, rigid stand of not speaking to his Karnataka counterpart, till the latter stops the construction work on Paragodu project.

In a statement, K. Narayana, Assistant Secretary of the State Council, described it as a `meaningless position which may result in Andhra Pradesh losing its rights further. Such adamant stand may not fetch any tangible results''.

He was also critical of Mr. Naidu for his refusal to hold an all-party meeting. "It is not his party affair alone but one that affected the interests of all sections of people of the State'', he said and wanted him to emulate the example of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa. She took up the issue with the Centre, besides approaching the Supreme Court.

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