Commenting on the ongoing protest against the creation of Telangana, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that the Centre's decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh appears to be a conspiracy, and added that the three states created under BJP's regime saw no such tension.
"The conditions which have born out of this bifurcation seem like a conspiracy of the ruling Congress party. It all depends on political consensus, whether you are conspiring or you actually want to do some good," he said.
"We (BJP) also created three new states during our tenure. At that time when we divided Chhattisgarh, there were no such tensions in Madhya Pradesh. When we created Jharkhand, again there were no such tensions in Bihar. Even during Uttarakhand's creation, there were no problems in Uttar Pradesh," he added.
Another BJP leader Kirti Azad, echoing similar sentiments, said that the Congress has failed miserably to manage the issue of Telanaga, which has led to widespread protests in the state.
Anti-Telangana protests turn violent in Vijaywada
Reports say the supporters of YSR Congress Party chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy, whose indefinite hunger strike enters second day, blocked roads and are burning tyres to protest the formation of Telangana.
Power supply hit in Andhra Pradesh
Vijayawada: After two days of protests, it's a calmer Sunday for the Seemandhra region of Andhra Pradesh. The 13 districts of Seemandhra, as the Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra regions are jointly called, witnessed total shutdown over the last two days following the 48-hour strike called by anti-Telangana protesters against the cabinet decision to carve out a separate state from Andhra Pradesh.
However, power situation has not improved in the region as six of the seven units of power station in Vijayawada are still shut after employees there refused to end their strike.
"The 48-hour bandh call got over at 6 am today, but we've extended our strike indefinitely. Our intention is not to interrupt power supply, but we want to save our Andhra Pradesh. And this is the only way we have. Some Express and local trains are affected," said one of the employees.
Andhra Pradesh needs 5000 MW of power daily and the Vijayawada plant generates 1700 MW. So, the strike has led to huge power cuts in Vijayawada and neighbouring areas.
Curfew, shoot-at-sight orders in Vizianagaram
Curfew has been imposed in Vizianagaram town with police given the orders to shoot at sight in the wake of large-scale violence by anti-bifurcation agitators, police said.
Vizianagaram, a town in coastal Andhra, has been roiling since the Union Cabinet's decision to create the state of Telangana out of the existing state of Andhra Pradesh.
"Lot of violence was reported, with the protesters indulging in arson, setting a bank on fire, and damaging public and private properties. In view of the violence, authorities ordered a curfew late last night," Dwaraka Tirumala Rao, IGP (North Coastal Zone), told a news agency.
People have been directed not to come out on the roads without permission. The curfew would be in force till further orders, the IGP said, adding that decision on relaxation will depend on the situation. "We are ensuring that there is no movement of public on the roads," he said.
Additional forces have been deployed in the town which has witnessed widespread violence since Thursday. Andhra Pradesh Congress chief Botsa Satyanarayna's house in the town was attacked on Friday.
The 48-hour bandh called by Andhra Pradesh Non-Gazetted Officers Association got over last night. The situation in Seemandhra, overall, was under control, the IGP said.
Jagan's indefinite hunger strike enters Day 2
YSR Congress leader Jaganmohan Reddy's indefinite fast against the creation of a separate state for Telangana enters second day.
