TDP MPs stop Sushilkumar Shinde from entering Home Ministry office

NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde was today briefly stopped from entering his office by four MPs belonging to TDP who pressed for inclusion of representatives from Joint Action Committee (JAC) in the Group of Ministers looking into bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.

As Shinde, who chairs the GoM on Telengana, reached his office in North Block, the four Parliamentarians of TDP "physcially" stopped the Home Minister requesting him to include members of JAC.

Surprised security personnel had a tough time in handling the TDP MPs N Kristappa, N Siva Prasad, K Narayan Rao and M Venugopal Reddy who reminded the policemen of privileges of Parliamentarians.

Shinde, composing himself after the initial surprise, told the MPs that their TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu had given in writing on formation of Telengana, after which the Home Minister proceeded for the meeting of the Group of Minsters constituted to look into issues related to the bifurcation.

The MPs were demanding that the meeting should not be held unless the matter was first discussed with the agitating people of Seemandhra region in Andhra Pradesh. They said there is no one in the GoM who clearly understands the grievances and demands of Seemandhra people.

Later, the MPs were standing before the battery of media cameras, especially those from South, giving their statements.

Talking to reporters, Reddy demanded the GoM visit Andhra Pradesh to meet the people. "Don't take decisions sitting in air-conditioned rooms. You should come to Andhra Pradesh to understand the real situation there. We don't want the meeting to be held here," he said.

Kristappa evaded a question as to whether TDP was supporting the bifurcation and merely said "we want justice for Andhra Pradesh."