Telangana issue: Joint Action Committee to continue agitation

The all-party Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC), spearheading the agitation for a separate Telangana state, today decided to continue its protests even as the Centre announced a five-member committee on the issue.

"We will continue our agitation as planned earlier. We would like to know the terms of reference of the committee before giving our reaction. The JAC would meet after the terms of reference of the committee are announced," JAC convener C Kodandaram told reporters.

He, however, acknowledged there is some movement on the part of the Centre towards taking a decision on the issue.

"There is some movement in the government towards announcing a decision. There is some impact of the deadline we have put. Meetings and discussions are taking place. Whether the decision is positive for us or not, that we can say only after the government announces its decision," he said.

Asked about reports that justice BN Srikrishna, chairman of the committee formed by the Centre, was known to be against the creation of smaller states, Kodandaram said the JAC would not doubt the integrity and competence of the members of the panel.

"We do not doubt the integrity and competence of the committee members. Moreover, terms of reference are more important than individuals," he said.

Leaders of all parties from Telangana region said they would like to know the terms of reference of the committee before coming out with a response.

Senior TDP MLA N Janardhan Reddy, who represents the main opposition in the JAC, said "We want to know the terms of reference of the committee (before giving our reaction). What we want is Telangana state within a time-frame. If this committee is for it, then we will welcome the committee."

TRS said it would not be happy if the committee is for deciding whether to give Telangana or not.

"We are waiting for the terms of reference of the committee to know if it is in furtherance to the December nine statement made by home minister P Chidambaram. If it is so, then we can look forward to it. If it is a step back to explore whether to give Telangana or not, then we will not be happy with it," KT Rama Rao, TRS MLA and party president K Chandrasekhar Rao's son, told PTI.

The JAC has been demanding that the government appoint the committee only for forming separate Telangana within a specified time-frame. Hailing the announcement of the committee, the ruling Congress said the move proved once again that the party stood by its word always.

"It shows that Congress would honour its word. The terms of reference would be naturally announced in consultation with the Chairman in two or three days," state Congress president D Srinivas said.

Meanwhile, TDP leaders from non-Telangana regions demanded that the committee look into separate states from other parts of the committee.

"There are separate state demands from Vidarbha, Uttar
Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and elsewhere. This committee should look into all such demands," senior TDP leader K Yerran Naidu said in Delhi.

However, "we will continue our agitation as planned earlier", JAC Convenor C Kodandaram told presspersons adding JAC would wait for TOR which is "more important than those in the committee".

"We are waiting for terms of reference of the committee to know if it is in furtherance to the December 9 statement made by Chidambaram", KT Rama Rao, TRS MLA and party president K Chandrashekhar Rao's son, told PTI.

Asked about reports that Justice Srikrishna was known to be against formation of smaller states, Kodandarama said JAC would not doubt the integrity and competence of the members of the Centre-appointe committee.