By TwoCircles.net News Desk,
New Delhi: While the creation of Telangana has become the hottest political issue today pushing Liberhan issue on the back burner, Muslims or their groups in Andhra Pradesh seem to be divided on regional lines as for the issue of bifurcation of the southern state.
If on one hand Hyderabad-based Civil Liberties Monitoring Committee is supporting the bifurcation of the state, the newly formed United Andhra Pradesh Movement has launched a campaign for united state.
Lateef Mohammad Khan, General Secretary, Civil Liberties Monitoring Committee, says: Separation is the democratic desire. Being united forcefully is imperialistic attitude. Separate Telangana Statehood is a democratic demand and small states are justifiable to the common people in all aspects.
Dr. Faheem, President, United Andhra Pradesh Movement, says: We started a movement called “United Andhra Pradesh” to convey our feelings and expressions for a unified state instead of division. We believe in Unity in Diversity.
The group has also created a Facebook group with more than 17,500 members in a span of 8 days.
Lateef Khan, however, argues: There is lot of historical importance of the struggle and sacrifices for the sake of Telangana movement. During the 1969 movement, 370 students sacrificed their lives, and in this present movement, 53 people became martyrs. This shows how strong the movement is, for the separate Telangana statehood.
Condemning the suppressive attitude of the government, he says: The rulers are trying to solve all the social, economic, and cultural problems through coercive manner by adopting it as a policy. Therefore, we strongly condemn this attitude. Every problem should be solved in a political manner. Now the people’s aspirations created positive atmosphere for the formation of separate Telangana, which is a long-standing demand.
“We express our total support for the movements of small states including separate Andhra; separate Rayalseema etc. The small states are beneficial to the common people in all aspects,” Khan says.