Rethink the Telangana Bill, says Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Hyderabad,  Criticising the move to go ahead with the Telangana Bill disregarding its rejection by the Andhra Pradesh Assembly, 'Art of Living' founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on Friday said that dividing the state without the support of majority would be a disaster.

I would say if you want division (of Andhra Pradesh state), then it should happen with good understanding and with very good give-and-take on both sides. If more than half of the state is burning, then such a division is a disaster, he told reporters here.

When the Assembly has rejected with majority, then rethink is needed and not to hurry up. Anything done in haste is waste, he said, referring to the Centre going ahead with tabling the Bill in Parliament.

If Andhra Pradesh Assembly has passed a resolution, I am all for respecting that resolution, the spiritual leader said. The need for division is based on the need for prosperity and the whole idea is to bring prosperity but the way the division is done.

prosperity does not come if there is more animosity between the two states everything collapses we will be taking the state 50 years backward in such a scenario.

Our main focus/purpose for division should be better administration, justice and equal economic growth. If these things are not available and just to satisfy some leaders' ego if the decisions are taken, it is not fair, he said.

Many divisions (of different states) have happened in the country and let us study in deep how such issues were resolved, the spiritual guru, who is embarking on a six-day train tour of several districts of Andhra Pradesh from tomorrow, said.

He termed as disastrous yesterday's incident in Lok Sabha in which spraying of pepper resulted in hospitalisation of three MPs following a ruckus over the introduction of the Telangana Bill, after which 18 Seemandhra MPs were suspended.

This is not a civilised way of conducting in Parliament. And why this is happening, because it is a reaction to the great hurry which is being thrust on the throat (of the people) and Centre is to be blamed for all this, he said.

On the economic scenario, he said, Our country is virtually on a ventilator economically and there is paralysis all over. We need to wake up and need to bring a very strong stable and decisive government so that industrial rate goes up and unemployment rate falls.

There is a need to create awareness among people so that they can vote. Everyone should use their voting rights and elect those not having a criminal record who are non-corrupt, Ravi Shankar added.