ELECTIONS '98
COMMENTARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ARCHIVES

Bills on new states soon, says Advani

Home Minister Lal Kishinchand Advani says the bills for the formation of the Chattisgarh, Uttaranchal and Vananchal states and the conferring of full statehood on New Delhi would be sent to the President before the end of the Budget session of Parliament.

Addressing separate delegations of party MPs and legislators from the Uttarakhand region besides representatives of various organisations espousing the Uttaranchal cause, he said the Union Cabinet would meet soon and clear the bills.

Advani said the bills would then be referred to the President for his concurrence as per Constitutional requirements. Besides, the issue of granting full statehood to Pondicherry was also being considered, he said.

The home minister, who heads the Cabinet sub-committee on the formation of the new states, indicated that the President would have sought the opinion of the Uttar Pradesh assembly on the creation of Uttaranchal before the winter session of Parliament begins sometime in November.

He assured the delegations that their dream of having a state of their own would soon come true.

About the controversy over the inclusion of the Udham Singh Nagar district in the proposed Uttaranchal state, Advani said the controversy was unfortunate and that the government was fully aware of the ground realities.

He said these issues had been raised only during the last four weeks though the formation of Uttaranchal state was under consideration for a long time.

About the objections being raised by certain allies of the BJP on the inclusion of Udham Singh Nagar district, Advani said felt that every political party had some reservations over certain matters. ''But we will sort it out,'' he declared. He also felt that the Akali Dal had raised the issue due to intra-party rivalry.

Advani said he personally thought that the interests of the Sikhs, businessmen and industrialists of Udham Singh Nagar district would be better protected in a smaller state like Uttaranchal.

He tried to allay the apprehension that the formation of the new state was being delayed, saying the decision to form Uttaranchal was not new and there was no question of any change in the decision. However, the government wanted it to be a unanimous decision arrived at after consultation with the partners of the ruling coalition, he said.

UNI

Tell us what you think of this report