Rajya Sabha passes Telengana Bill

So Telengana is a reality now! India got its 29th state today!

The controversial Telengana bill has been passed in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday amidst chaos, protest and shouting. With the allegations of ‘backroom deal’ with BJP, the Congress led UPA government has passed the controversial T-Bill in the upper house with majority.

Vice President Hamid Ansari called all party meet following the continuous disruption in the house by the anti-Telengana MPs. Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde moved the Bill amidst protest in the Rajya Sabha. Ansari wanted a full debate on Telengana issue in the Rajya Sabha before passing the Bill.

Even as the possibility of legal tangle looms large around the Andhra Pradesh State Reorganization Bill, the UPA government has pushed for the bill in the last session of the fifteenth Lok Sabha as it wants to claim it fulfills its election promise by creating a separate state of Telengana by dividing the state of Andhra Pradesh.

Many constitutional experts have suggested that the Bill would be invalid without going for constitutional amendments. According to eminent constitutional expert Subash C Kashyap, government must meet the provisions under Article 368 before passing the bill in the upper house.

“The legislation for the bifurcation of a state can be passed with a simple majority and the same applies for the consequent legislation. If the House decides it is special constitutional amendment, then it requires to be passed with two-thirds majority under Article 368,” Kashyap told ToI.

BJP leader Arun Jaitley has questioned the constitutional validity of the bill while speaking on it in the Rajya Sabha.

BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu suportred Telengana Bill and asked for Rs 10,000 crore package for Seemandhra.

 “We will back the Telangana Bill but we need Rs 10,000 crore financial package and tax incentives for Seemandhra in return for our support,” Naidu said.

BSP leader Mayawati supports Telangana Bill in Rajya Sabha and demands more such small states in India by dividing Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.

“Telangana should have been created long back as it is a very old demand. Other bigger states should also have been divided. Uttar Pradesh should be divided into four new states. Vidarbha should also be created out of Maharashtra,” Mayawati said.

Congress MP and Union Minister Chiranjeevi defers the party line and said its heartbreaking to support the bill.

“Process to divide Andhra Pradesh unfortunate. Both Congress, NDA are to blame for this situation. NDA too promised Telangana earlier, but didn’t keep its word. Pained to go against party stand on Telangana,” Chiranjeevi said.

CPI opposed the division of Andhra Pradesh. Party leader Sitaram Yechury accused Congress and BJP for creating ruckus in the parliament.

Meanwhile, as a part of damage control, Congress President Sonia Gandhi has asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to grant special status to Seemandhra following the creation of Telengana. Congress is worried about its own political future in Andhra Pradesh as the fierce protest broke out against the party after it passed the Telengana Bill to bifurcate of the state to create Telengana statehood. Already the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Kiran Kumar Reddy had resigned against the decision.

Prime Minister in Rajya Sabha said government will give special status to Seemandhra for 5 years. Earlier BJP had asked 10 years grant for the state. Prime Minister said that his government is committed to create Telengana and prosperity of Seemandhra.

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