“Andhra Pradesh was the first linguistic state to be created post-Independence. It was created on October 1, 1953 much before the Fazal Ali panel was even set up for creation of linguistic states.
Potti Sri Ramulu was the first martyr for the cause of a separate state,” Ashish said.
He said Sri Ramulu's “martyrdom” galvanised people and then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru who announced formation of Andhra Pradesh on December 19, 1952. The state was formally created on October 1, 1953.
Ashish said the UPA government was now in a hurry for creation of Telangana for “deriving a political mileage”.
Ashish said he would be submitting thousands of petitions and letters in support of Vidarbha state to Congress MP Vilas Muttemwar and request him to hand them over to party president Sonia Gandhi during her visit to city on November 21.
Updated on: November 17, 2013 12:56 IST
