Telangana protests continue, BJP wants PM to speak

Telangana protests continue, BJP wants PM to speak:

Telangana Joint Action Committee (TJAC) activists burn and effigy representing the UPA government during a protest demanding the separate state of Telangana in Hyderabad. AFP Photo

The BJP on Monday demanded a statement from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the formation of a separate state of Telangana, as protestors took to streets in the restive region of Andhra Pradesh. The Congress said in New Delhi that a decision will be taken at an appropriate time. Talking to reporters in Nagpur, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Rajnath Singh said his party was in favour of carving out Telangana from Andhra Pradesh, and blamed Congress-led central government for delaying it.
"Congress gave an assurance that they will form Telangana. The BJP has been saying that there should be a separate state of Telangana, and we have been raising the issue in and out of parliament, but government has been delaying the decision," Rajnath Singh told reporters.
"Now they are saying they need some more time. We and the people of Telangana want to know how much time is needed for formation of the state. The prime minister should make a statement on this," he said.
Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi said in New Delhi: "It is a very sensitive issue. Sentiments of people of Andhra Pradesh are  attached. Ghulam Nabi Azad has already given his statement in this regard. At an appropriate time a decision will be taken."
A day after the central government indefinitely postponed its decision on Telangana issue, the region was on the boil Monday as protestors demanding separate state took to streets.
For the second consecutive day, the Osmania University in Hyderabad remained tense with police not allowing students to take out a rally. Raising slogans of "Jai Telangana", the students tried to march towards Gun Park near the state assembly but were pushed back by police, who closed the university gates.
Police arrested over 30 students at the Nizam College in the heart of the city when they tried to take out a rally to Telangana Martyrs' Memorial at Gun Park.