Terms of reference for Telangana panel announced

The Government has announced a seven-point terms of reference (ToR) for the Telangana committee, saying the panel will consult all sections of people in Andhra Pradesh, especially political parties, on the demand of a separate State.

The five-member committee, headed by Justice (Retd) B.N. Srikrishna, will “examine the situation in Andhra Pradesh with reference to demand for a separate State of Telangana as well as the demand for maintaining the present status of united Andhra Pradesh. “It will review the development in the State since its formation and their impact on the progress and development of different regions of the state,” the ToR stated on Friday.

The committee, which includes Ranbir Singh, Abusaleh Shariff, Ravinder Kaur and former home secretary Vinod K. Duggal as member-secretary, “will examine the impact of the recent developments in the State on the different sections of the people such as women, children, students, minorities, SCs and STs.” It has been asked to submit its report by December 31 this year.

The ToR said the committee will “identify the key issues that must be addressed while considering the matter.” It will “consult all sections of people, especially political parties on the aforesaid matters and elicit their views to seek from the political parties and other organisations a range of solutions that would resolve the present difficult situation and promote the welfare of all sections of people to identify the optimal solutions for this purpose and to recommend a plan of action and a roadmap.”

The panel “will consult organisations of other civil societies such as industries, trade unions, farmer organisations, women students” and “make any other suggestion and recommendations that the committee may deemed appropriate.”

On February 2, government had announced the committee which would hold wide-ranging consultations with all sections of people and different political parties and groups on “the situation in Andhra Pradesh.” The Telangana Rashtra Samiti has not been happy with the Centre’s moves which it feels are only delaying tactics. The violent protests for a separate Telangana have died down for the present, but the pro-Telangana lobby will continue to keep up pressure on the Centre.

Protesting the terms of reference of the Srikrishna panel announced by the Central government on Friday, the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) has announced that all its MPs and state legislators will resign immediately. TRS chief K Chandrasekhara Rao told reporters that both MPs of the party and all 11 legislators would submit their resignations and press for their acceptance.

KCR, as the TRS chief is popularly known, said he along with another party MP and actress Vijayshanti would submit their resignations to Lok Sabha speaker. All 10 members of state assembly will submit their papers to assembly speaker while the lone member of the legislative council will submit his resignation to its chairman.

He rejected the terms of reference as "baseless, meaningless and mindless". The cause of Telangana was dear to the MPS and MLAs than their posts. "The terms of reference carry no value. The Centre has once again cheated the people of Telangana. It has not taken into consideration the trauma of the people and the series of suicides by youth and students," said KCR.

- Asian Tribune -