HYDERABAD: Former President Pranab Mukherjee may have left the temporal world, but he will live on in the hearts of the people of Telangana. Though he hailed from West Bengal, he was very dear to Telangana people as it was he who gave his assent to the AP State Reorganisation Bill, on March 1, 2014, paving way for the formation of Telangana State from Andhra Pradesh. TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao, who led the separate Telangana movement, called the assent, the golden signature of the President.
Though Pranab Mukherjee was always very reticent and circumspect in what he said while receiving representations from the people, he used to break the rule while talking to KCR. On one occasion, KCR himself had said that Pranab Mukherjee used to say that he was seeing a leader who not only led a movement for a separate State but was also there at the time of its formation. In the turbulent days of the Telangana movement, Seemandhra and Telangana leaders used to make a beeline to the Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi to argue their respective cases on the division of the State.
In fact, when the President sent the Bifurcation Bill to AP Assembly for ratification in 2013, the then chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy had ensured that both the Assembly and the Council rejected it with a voice vote hoping it would stall the formation of Telangana State. After sending the Bill back to Rashtrapati Bhavan, Kiran Kumar Reddy followed it up by personally calling on the President and requesting him not to refer it to the Parliament. A few days before the President was to give his assent to the bill, KCR too led a delegation to him, though Telangana was a fait accompli by then, and thanked him, for his “golden signature” on the Bill.
After UPA came to power at the Centre in 2004, the Telangana issue was included in its Common Minimum Programme and a three-member committee headed by Pranab Mukherjee was constituted to go into the demand for Telangana state. Though the committee did not get anywhere, Telangana issue became a focal point at the Central level with KCR relentlessly pushing the movement forward.
As news of Pranab Mukherjee’s death broke on Monday afternoon, Chief Minister Chandrasekhar Rao expressed his deep shock and said it was unfortunate that the best efforts put in by doctors for the past several weeks did not succeed. The CM said Pranab Mukherjee had a special affinity for Telangana. KCR recalled the work of the committee which Mukherjee headed on Telangana demand. “The former President used to say that there was justice in demand for a separate Telangana statehood and he used to offer several useful suggestions to me. He bestowed special praise on me saying very few leaders have the rare opportunity of seeing the movement launched by them reaching its goal,” the CM said.
Referring to the book The Coalition Years written by Pranab Da, the CM recalled that the Telangana statehood issue was also mentioned in it. “In the book, Pranab Mukherjee had narrated how I did not mind foregoing a portfolio though I was a Cabinet Minister as long as Telangana statehood is assured. The former President visited the Yadadri temple complex and appreciated the renovation works going on there at the site.” The CM said that in Pranab Mukherjee’s death, a void has been created in the country’s political arena which is hard to fill.
special affinity for Telangana
Pranab Mukherjee was always very reticent and circumspect in what he said while receiving representations from the people, he used to break the rule while talking to KCR. On one occasion, KCR himself had said that Pranab Mukherjee used to say that he was seeing a leader who not only led a movement for a separate State but was also there at the time of its formation
Politicians convey condolences
Hyderabad: Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy, TPCC president and Nalgonda MP N Uttam Kumar Reddy, BJP State president and Karimnagar MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar, Malkajgiri MP A Revanth Reddy, Bhongir MP Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, and many leaders cutting across political affiliation, on Monday, conveyed condolences on the demise of former President of India Pranab Mukherjee. They said the country would miss Pranab Mukherjee and he would always be remembered for his service to the nation and its people. He was awarded nation’s most prestigious civilian award Bharat Ratna in recognition of his contribution towards nation building