NEW DELHI: Against the backdrop of Telangana Bandh, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday asserted there was no violation of Constitution in the passing of Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha.
The Bill was intended to replace ordinance issued on May 29, 2014, to transfer some of the villages and mandals of Telangana to the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh, in connection with the construction of Polavaram multi-purpose irrigation project.
Naidu said that Telangana came into being on June 2, 2014, and the said ordinance was issued before that, when the united state of Andhra Pradesh was still in existence.
He was responding to the allegations made in and outside the Lok Sabha, that the Legislative Assembly of Telangana should have been consulted while altering its borders. On the issue of the said Amendment Bill being passed without discussion, Naidu said that in consultation with all the parties in the Business advisory Committee of the House, two hours time was allotted for discussion. But, the atmosphere in the House was vitiated, with some members trooping into the well of the House and shouting. He said proper discussion would have enabled the government to give full account of the circumstances of issuing the ordinance, and introducing the Amendment Bill. Pointing out that the then UPA had committed to do the needful to enable construction of Polavaram project, including transferring some villages to Andhra Pradesh, through an amendment to AP Reorganisation Act, Naidu said there was a time constraint for passing the Amendment Bill by both the Houses of Parliament, and obtaining the assent of President by July 18.
He added that the proposed transfer of some villages to the residuary state of AP was to rehabilitate the people in areas likely to be submerged under the Polavaram Project. Naidu asked for this issue not to be politicised and said the Polavaram Project would bring immense benefits by bringing additional farm land under irrigation,stabilisation of ayacut, provision of drinking water and generation of electricity. He also said the project would provide Godavari water to Krishna delta, thereby bringing down the load on Krishna water, which may help Telangana also.
Naidu said some Congress MPs, who rejoiced at passing the Bill creating Telangana, can not now object to operationalising the same act passed by the UPA Government.