BJP asks Centre to fulfill demand for separate Telangana

BJP leader Sushma Swaraj said "it is not a separatist demand".

BJP leader Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday asked the central government to fulfill the demand for a separate Telangana state saying “it is not a separatist demand”.

“If the UPA government fails to fulfil the demand for a separate Telangana state and if a NDA government comes to power at the Centre after next parliament elections,that government will fulfill the dream of the people of the region,” said the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha while addressing a convention of party workers from Telangana here.

Swaraj said several states were formed in independence India and the demand for a separate state by the people of Telangana is to further strengthen the integrity of the nation.

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The Vajpayee government had fulfilled the dream of the people of Jharkhand,Chhattisgarh and Uttarkhand by carving out separate states,she said.

“It is not a separatist demand,” the Leader of the Opposition said.

She asked why Congress-led government was “deaf and sleeping” on the issue after promising in the 2004 election manifesto that more than 50-year-old demand for a separate Telangana state would be met.

“Why did you (Congress) promise a separate Telangana state in your election manifesto in 2004 if you were doubtful that it could not be fulfilled?” Sushma said.

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She also cited that the matter was included in the Common Minimum Programme of the UPA-1 government.

NDA Convenor Sharad Yadav said “we all are with you” on the issue and the entire alliance is united on the demand for a separate Telangana.

Speaking at the convention,senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu said “Congress will have to pay a heavy price if the demand for a separate statehood is not met.”

“If you have the political will,bring the Bill (on Telangana in Parliament) and we will support it,” Naidu said.

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