Sonia requests PM to grant spl category status; Opp adamant on Constitutional amendment
With the UPA Government not succeeding in its desperate attempt to pass the Telangana Bill in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, the Centre made a desperate attempt to reach out to the Opposition with Congress president Sonia Gandhi requesting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to provide a wholesome package to Seemandhra.
The party and the Government held high-level meetings with top BJP leaders on Wednesday evening. But, sources said, the deadlock persisted on the need for a Constitutional amendment on a key provision for the smooth passage of the Telangana Bill in the Upper House.
late on Wednesday night, Union Minister Union Minister Jairam Ramesh met senior BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu and conveyed the Government’s willingness to provide a special financial package for Seemandhra and accord national status to Polavaram project. Ramesh also agreed that the BJP’s demands for the Constitutional Amendment on the Governor’s power on law and order in Hyderabad was justified but expressed helplessness as this will require a long process of consensus building among a large number of parties opposed to the creation of Telangana.
Naidu told The Pioneer that he assured Ramesh to convey the Government’s proposal to the BJP leadership and respond to the Minister on Thursday morning.
Sources said that the Prime Minister is likely to announce a special package for Seemandhra before the Bill is debated in the RS.
After several hiccups during the proceedings of the House and several adjournments which also led to the Secretary General being manhandled, Sonia requested the Prime Minister to grant a special category status to Seemandhra for five years for its developmental needs.
Sources said that a meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh along with several Ministers and leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley and senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu failed to break the deadlock. Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh, besides Kamal Nath, participated from the Government side.
It is understood that the BJP leaders pressed for “a proper discussion” on the Bill and asked the Government to ensure order in the House which was absent when the Bill was introduced and passed in the lok Sabha.
The BJP pointed out that ‘special powers’ vested in the Governor to handle law and order in Hyderabad would require Constitutional amendment. The Government’s argument that it was not power but responsibility was not accepted by the BJP leaders who contended that as per the current Bill, the Governor would have the last word on the law and order issue if there was a difference of opinion between the Governor and the concerned Minister in the State Government.
A Constitutional amendment requires the Government to ensure support of the 2/3rd members present in the House for the Bill. The BJP leaders also insisted in the meeting that statutory guarantees were necessary in the Bill to ensure that financial package and benefits of irrigation and other multi-purpose projects and those of major institutions and PSUs (having concentration in Hyderabad) could continue to be ensured for Seemandhra people.
Settlement of salary, pension, investments and debt, has to be clearly spelt out and money allocated to Seemandhra to ensure smooth bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. According to BJP leaders, the Government spoke of Finance Commission settling the issue which by implication meant a major time gap between passing the Bill and defining financial packages. This was not accepted by the BJP.
“If the Government of India does not address our concerns, BJP may move amendments,” party sources said. Kamal Nath confirmed that the BJP has raised the issue of Constitutional amendment. The Government and the Congress were reluctant to concede to the BJP’s demand, sources said. .
The Upper House on Wednesday witnessed high drama as soon as Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien asked the Secretary General to read the message from the lok Sabha, which included a mention about the passage of the Telangana Bill. TDP member CM Ramesh pushed Secretary General Shumsher K Sheriff and tried to snatch papers from him maintaining that it was being done in an unconstitutional manner.
Angry at the behaviour of Ramesh, Kurien said, “This is very unfortunate. The staff should not be attacked. Keep your hands off. What you are doing is very unfortunate, highly deplorable and unbecoming of the member.” He said it amounted to breach of privilege of the House. Ramesh then rose to say his action was not intentional but only emotional and later apologised.
Constitutional tangle
The BJP leaders pressed for “a proper discussion” on the Bill and asked the Government to ensure order in the House which was absent when the Bill was introduced and passed in the lok Sabha
The BJP pointed out that ‘special powers’ vested in the Governor to handle law & order in Hyderabad would require Constitutional amendment. A Constitutional amendment requires the Government to ensure support of the 2/3rd members present in the House
According to BJP leaders, the Government spoke of Finance Commission settling the issue which by implication meant a major time gap between passing the Bill and defining financial packages. This was not accepted by the BJP