New Delhi: A YSR Congress Party delegation and their party president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy met President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday at Rashtrapati Bhawan, and sought his intervention for the cause of a United Andhra Pradesh.
Presenting a memorandum to the President, Reddy claimed that the Indian National Congress Party seemed to be in a tearing hurry to divide Andhra Pradesh for political reasons, unmindful of the consequences, giving scant respect to the sentiments of a multitude of the local people that is against the division.
Jagan also emphasised the need for amending Article 3 of the Constitution.
"Despite a tempestuous outrage against the division by people who are protesting for nearly four months, the adamant ruling party is going ahead with its plans of separating the state at a breakneck speed. My humble request to Your Excellency is to consider the majority opinion that is opposing the division of Andhra Pradesh," said Reddy in his letter.
"We are making every effort to mobilize support from national parties, as well with an appeal to reject the Bill in the Parliament when it is tabled, as the Bill reflects the megalomaniac nature of the Congress Party, and is not in the true spirit of the federal structure, as it is not the voice of the people, as more than 75 per cent of the people of Andhra Pradesh want to remain united," he added.
"lt is the dichotomy, arrogance and authoritarianism of the ruling party that is being questioned and challenged, we had told the political parties. Let not Andhra Pradesh be a precedent for the divisive tactics of the party in power at the Centre. lf political parties that subscribe to democracy and constitutional institutions remain mute spectators, it could happen to anyone and in any state tomorrow, is our contention, Your Excellency," Jagan's letter further said.
"We have called upon all political parties to extend their support for the cause of a United Andhra Pradesh and express solidarity with us in the Parliament and outside. Your Excellency, we appeal you to intervene and safeguard democracy, as the division (of the state) is being carried out unilaterally, and against the federal spirit," he added.
The delegation led by Reddy later met JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav and sought his support for defeating the Telangana Bill in Parliament.
"Arbitrarily dividing any state without taking the Assembly into confidence is not going to be right for this country. If Article 3 is not amended, then what is happening in Andhra Pradesh may take place in other states as well," Reddy told reporters.
For any state to be bifurcated, there should be a proper procedure in place, he added.
"An amendment should be brought in for Article 3 wherein the Assembly must unanimously pass a resolution, or, at least, two-thirds majority in the Assembly and Parliament should be made a must (for bifurcation of a state)," he stated. JD(U) leader Yadav opined that imposing Article 3 on Andhra Pradesh would be harmful for the country.
In conclusion of the memorandum, Jagan said that all democratic forces in this country should give a thought to the following points:
1. Can the Centre use the powers vested on it arbitrarily and take undue advantage to garner a few votes and seats?
2. The Central Government took a unilateral decision to divide the state on December 9, 2009 and decision was dubbed by Congress as a birthday gift by Party President Sonia Gandhi. Can such a yardstick be applied for dividing the State?
3. Though the Centre has the power to divide the state, can it take decisions without any concrete basis, unanimous consent of the concerned assembly and rationality? The Centre does not recognize the fact that Andhra Pradesh state was formed on recommendations of the State Reorganization Commission (SRC) which regrouped the states on linguistic basis in 1955.
4. There are numerous demands for separate states elsewhere in the country. In some cases, the concerned assemblies have adopted and favoured a resolution for the division and sent it to the Centre, which in turn have been ignored so far. But it is moving at a break-neck speed to split Andhra Pradesh just six months ahead of the general elections. Why?
5. lf the Parliament endorses the division of Andhra Pradesh today, such arbitrary procedure in the days to come, will it not set a precedent for any Government at the Centre in future to arbitrarily divide any State with a simple majority in the Parliament?
6. How did the Centre take decision on bifurcating the State on October 3, 2013 without the unanimous consent of the State Assembly?
7. Earlier, the Srikrishna Committee in its report suggested that the state stands to lose if it is divided and in the first preference it has mentioned to keep the state united. In that case what is the basis of the Cabinet note on division? ls it justified?
