The Rayalaseema Joint Action Committee has requested the Centre to trifurcate Andhra Pradesh instead of its proposal to bifurcate the state.
In a letter to the AK Antony committee, they impressed upon the need to concede statehood to Rayalaseema as the region suffered similar backwardness as in Telangana. The letter observes that even the Sri Krishna Committee has suggested statehood for Rayalaseema for its development. ‘’It is high-time that the Centre take aspirations of Rayalaseema also, as it suffered step-motherly attitude in integrated Andhra Pradesh,” the letter points out.
Highlighting that grave injustice was done to the region vis-a-vis irrigation, the letter notes that promises made during the integration of the state were not honoured by the Coastal Andhra politicians. In 1951, there was a proposal to construct irrigation project in Kurnool but later shifted to Nalgonda to benefit Guntur and Prakasam districts.
However, had it been built in Kurnool it would have irrigated 26 lakh acres in Kurnool, Kadapa, Chittoor and Nellore districts along with North Arcot and Chenglepat districts of erstwhile Madras state. ‘’Fearing that they would lose Krishna water the coastal leaders exploited the antipathy of our people towards Madras then and the political leaders shifted the project to Nalgonda,” the letter avers.
According to the JAC even in employment and education the region had faced exploitation in the hands of coastal leaders. At present, in the state Secretariat only 8 percent of its employees are holding the positions against the pre-defined 19 per cent quota for the region. The University Grants Commission gave its approval to establish Andhra University campus in Anantapur in 1924, however it back tracked. “The money power and political pressure of Coastal Andhra region annulled the above proposal and it was established in Visakhapatnam instead,” the letter states.
Also in terms of transportation facilities the region got a raw deal. The National Highway 4 which was originally planned through Palamaner, Bangarpet and Chittoor via Chennai was cancelled. ‘’Many trains including Netravati Express passing through parched districts of Rayalaseema were cancelled. Navjeevan Express passing through the region was diverted to Coastal districts,” the letter observes.
The letter also debunks the doubts expressed over the feasibility of forming a state with only four districts. ‘’The clear examination of Rayalaseema region would show that it is bigger than 13 states of India area wise and bigger than 10 states population wise,” the letter contends.
Further the letter appeals that a separate state would alone guarantee the people its rights and would lead to holistic development of the region. “The region is rich in natural resources and has a wide forest area. There is no industry worth its name here, if the government can do something in this regard the region will prosper on its own,” the letter concludes.