New Delhi/ Hyderabad, August 1
Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde today said the Bill for the creation of a separate Telangana state would not be introduced in the forthcoming monsoon session of Parliament. The new state would, however, come into existence in the next six months, he added.

Replying to question if the Bill for the creation of Telangana will come this session, Shinde, who was addressing his monthly press conference in New Delhi, said: “No, not in this session. I do not think it will come so soon. May be, by next session. Normally, the creation of a new state takes eight to nine months, but we will try to do it at the earliest-may be in five-six months. May be even earlier.”

Andhra Pradesh, meanwhile, has plunged into a political crisis with 13 ministers, 20 MLAs and nine MLCs today resigning in protest against the bifurcation of the state even as mass protests rocked Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra, jointly referred to as Seemandhra, for the second day.

Shops, business establishments and educational institutions remained closed while buses were off the roads in all major towns. Hundreds of protesters took to the streets and sporadic incidents of violence and damage to public properties were reported from Kadapa, Anantapur and Kurnool districts. The protesters vandalised statues of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi at some places.

Demanding that the CWC reverse its decision, ministers and MLAs from Seemandhra have threatened to join public protests against the move.

“We are not bothered if our resignations lead to the imposition of the President’s Rule in the state.

We are bound by the public sentiment in our region and we will continue to fight for the cause of the integrated state,” said senior Congress MLA from coastal Andhra region G Venkat Reddy.

A delegation of 13 ministers met the Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy in the evening and submitted their resignations to him.

In Delhi, reacting to reports of violence in some parts of the country in support of demands for separate states, Shinde said, “We are ready to listen to everyone. I appeal to all those demanding new states not to resort to violence. They can agitate, but they should follow the democratic process of peaceful agitation.”

“It is not that the government is neglecting other demands for the creation of new states. We are ready to listen to them. Wherever workable, the government will take a decision,” Shinde said. The statement is being seen as a hint that more states could be created.

Shinde, however, made it clear that there was no proposal to have a second States Reorganisation Commission (SRC) to consider demands for new states. He also made it clear that there was no commitment as regards creation of a Union Territory in the Gorkhaland area.

The government, sources said, was worried over the four-day bandh call given by Gorkhaland agitators as this could lead to blocked of the strategically vital Siliguri corridor - the narrow strip of land that connects Bengal with North-East.

Asked why the demand for a separate Vidarbha state was not conceded to by the Centre along with Telangana, Shinde said, “Telangana was the oldest demand. The issue was first raised in 1951 and then in 1956. It was the oldest demand for a separate state.”