As the protests against carving out of Andhra Pradesh gather momentum, the Congress party, on the backfoot, and in damage control mode, has released letters written by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and YSR Congress to show how these parties have done a U-turn on their stated position on the creation of the state of Telangana.
Congress general secretary in charge of Andhra Pradesh Digvijaya Singh issued a statement:
We are deeply concerned about the agitation in Seemandhra.
The Congress party assures the people of Seemandhra that it remains fully committed to addressing all their concerns particularly with regard to safeguarding the interests of the people living and working in the Telangana region, the concerns over education and employment opportunities for their youth in Hyderabad, the sharing of river waters, the power issue etc.
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The group of ministers constituted by the central government will hold detailed consultations with all stakeholders on these and other sensitive issues.
The people of Seemandhra are being put to inconvenience because of disruption in power supply and strike by non-gazetted government employees.
The Congress party appeals to the people of Seemandhra to give up their agitation so that a healthy dialogue process can move forward and a solution that will benefit both the sides be arrived at.
The above was accompanied by TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu's December 27, 2012 letter to home minister Sushilkumar Shinde in which he stated that his party stood by its October 18, 2008 letter to the then minister of external affairs Pranab Mukherjee and reiterated: "Our letter is still with the government. We have not withdrawn our letter."
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The October 18, 2008 letter, inter alia, had said:
"The Politburo of the Telegu Desam Party has discussed thoroughly on the conclusions arrived at by the Core Committee and agreed with its recommendations in favour of formation of a separate Telangana State."
That was not all, the Congress general secretary also released a December 28, 2012 letter sent by the YSR Congress party to the home minister, saying, inter alia:
"Our party addressed this issue at the first Plenary of the party held on 8-9th July in 2011. As per the decision taken in that meeting, we reiterate that our party respects sentiments of the people of Telangana...All we request from you is a solution acceptable to all without injustice to any one taking into consideration all aspects and problems, at the earliest, in a fair, just and equitable manner as a father would do".
