New Delhi:
The cabinet on Thursday cleared major steps for carving out a separate Telangana state from Andhra Pradesh. Hyderabad will be shared for 10 years as the capital of the old and new state. Union ministers Pallam Raju threatens to quit; he was dissuaded by PM, sources said. Protests against the decision have begun in Seemandhra region.
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The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved a note prepared by the Home Ministry that outlines the plan for how Andhra Pradesh will be bifurcated to create India's 29th state, Telangana.
The Rayalaseema and Seemandhra regions in Andhra Pradesh - referred to as 'Seemandhra' - erupted in protest soon after the announcement. Schools and colleges have been shut in many areas. Vehicles have been banned from going to Tirupati temple. Commercial establishments in Vijaywada city will remain closed for two days.
Jagan Mohan Reddy's YSR Congress has also called for a 72-hour bandh across Andhra Pradesh against the decision. He said he wasn't pained by his 16-month jail term as much as he is pained by the decision to divide the state. (Read)
Union minister K Chiranjeevi resigned over the decision to create Telangana. The actor-turned-politician faxed his resignation to Prime Minister late on Thursday night. (Chiranjeevi resigns)
Pallam Raju, another Union minister from Andhra Pradesh, also threatened to quit. "Five crore people have been on agitation for 60 days, yet the Cabinet decided to create Telangana. I offered to resign but PM told me not act in haste," Mr Raju said.
The cabinet approved the setting up of a group of ministers who will be assigned to figure out how to divide water, power and revenue between the two states. The group of ministers will also examine special financial assistance for Andhra Pradesh after Telangana is carved out, said Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, promising "fundamental rights" for people from all three parts of the state.
The Cabinet's resolution on the creation of Telangana will be sent to President Pranab Mukherjee, with the recommendation that he refer it to the Andhra Pradesh state legislature
Though the Andhra Pradesh Assembly is meant to provide feedback on the resolution, the Centre is not obliged to accept its opinion.
In Hyderabad, ministers from Seemandhra have said they will ensure that the resolution is not passed by the state legislature. They have the support of Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy who is also from Seemandhra.
Hyderabad will start out as a shared capital for 10 years, after which it will belong to Telangana, said the Home Minister. Who gets to keep the prosperous IT hub has been a major headline of the controversial decision.
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