MIM seeks merger of Telangana, Seema

HYDERABAD: In a major departure from its stand on the future of Andhra Pradesh, the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen in its report to Srikrishna Committee said that Rayalaseema should be merged with Telangana to create Greater Telangana in case the Centre decides to bifurcate the state.

The MIM in the past did not support the cause of separate Telangana and said in a roundabout way that it would prefer a united Andhra Pradesh. But in its report to the Srikrishna panel which was made public on Sunday, the MIM president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi added a new dimension to the Telangana issue by demanding the merger of Telangana and Rayalaseema regions.

A similar demand had been made in the past by some Congress and Telugu Desam leaders but was never well received by Telangana protagonists. Owaisi said that the Muslims in the state apprehend that if Telangana is created, it would benefit the BJP. "They feel that a separate Telangana state would largely help BJP achieve its single-point agenda to grab power from the Congress," he said.

The ideal situation for Muslims would be to keep the state united as it is in the interest of all sections, especially the minorities. Explaining the party's view, he said Muslims have not witnessed any progress in the three states of Jharkhand, Uttarakhand and Chattisgarh which were carved out of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. The BJP created these smaller states to dislodge Congress from power, Owaisi said.

At the same time, Owaisi said, Muslims have issues and concerns regarding the demand for separate Telangana state because of their apprehensions over safety, security and socio-economic well-being in the face of open hostility of BJP and other sangh parivar constituents and the deep-rooted animosity of Left parties.

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