Rosaiah clarifies on composition of panel

The committee of legislators of both Houses to deliberate the issues and concerns on the formation of Telangana will after all be a government committee comprising political parties.

Amid charges that the government had taken parties for ride on the issue of constituting the committee, Finance Minister K. Rosaiah told reporters here on Wednesday that the committee announced in the Assembly by Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy on February 12 would comprise members of political parties.

“It is not a joint house committee as is being made out,” he said clarifying that Dr. Reddy never referred to the joint house panel. But, he said the Chief Minister would give further clarity on the issue in a day or two.

The Finance Minister’s remarks came after uproar over Chief Secretary P. Ramakant Reddy writing letters to the political parties instead of the Legislature Secretariat doing the work on the directions of the Assembly Speaker or the Council Chairman.

Mr. Rosaiah created a flutter by stating that the committee would neither concede Telangana nor oppose the statehood. “It has been constituted only to look into the concerns of the stakeholders,” he added.

It may be recalled that Dr. Reddy informed the Assembly last week the government had no objection for the formation of Telangana State in principle and that the time has come to move forward decisively on the issue. However, before taking a decision many of the issues need to be resolved as serious concerns have been raised by the stake-holders.

He further stated that the State government had decided to constitute a committee of members of both the Houses to deliberate the issues and concerns on the formation of Telangana and further steps could be taken after the report from the joint committee is submitted to the government.