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RS stamps Telangana; PM’s special grant for twin states
BJP backs Bill as Seemandhra, TMC MPs protest
Ashok Tuteja
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 20
Parliament approved the creation of Telangana as country's 29th state on Thursday with the Rajya Sabha clearing the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill by voice vote amid ugly scenes and frequent adjournments of the House.

After a five-hour noisy debate on the contentious legislation, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced a six-point development package for the successor states of Andhra Pradesh. The package, he said, demonstrated the government's steadfast commitment to the creation of Telangana and to continued prosperity of Seemandhra. Resource gap in successor states of Andhra Pradesh in the first year would be compensated in the regular Union Budget for 2014-15.

The BJP came to the rescue of the government as it did not press for division on several amendments to the Bill, moved by senior party leader M Venkaiah Naidu. Amendments moved by some other members were also negated as Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien ruled that he could not order division since several Opposition members were in the Well of the House. "I am helpless…rules don't permit me to order a division since so many members are in the Well. Ask them to return to their seats and I will order a division,'' the Deputy Chairman told CPM leader Sitaram Yechury, who was insisting on division.

Some Opposition parties, including the CPM and DMK, walked out of the House, alleging the Bill was being passed due to 'match-fixing' between the government and the BJP.

The Bill, which was passed by the Lok Sabha earlier this week, will now be sent to the President for his approval. . The debate also saw the government facing some embarrassing moments when Union Minister Chiranjeevi, who hails from Seemandra region, opposed the decision to bifurcate Andhra. Union Rural development Minister Jairam Ramesh acted as the trouble-shooter between the government and the BJP . On several occasions, Ramesh walked up to the BJP benches and assured both Jaitley and Venkaiah Naidu that their concerns would be addressed.

Members belonging to the Telugu Desam, Trinamool Congress and the Shiv Sena rushed into the Well of the House opposing the creation of Telangana as soon as the legislation was taken up for consideration.

House turns into battleground for 29th state

• The five-hour proceedings saw seven adjournments as members raised slogans and tore papers. They described the Bill passed by the Lok Sabha as illegal.
• A protective cordon was thrown around the PM and Home Minister by Congress MPs as members from Seemandhra, TMC and Shiv Sena stormed the well
• The BJP came to the rescue of the government as it did not press for division on several amendments to the Bill

Special category status

PM Manmohan Singh announced grant of Special Category Status to the residuary state which will comprise 13 districts. The Central Government shall take appropriate fiscal measures, including tax incentives to the successor states, in order to boost growth in both states