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Vidarbha bandh on November 27

An all-party meeting, in Nagpur on Sunday evening, has called for a Vidarbha bandh on November 27, the opening day of the winter session of the Maharashtra legislature, to press for a separate state of Vidarbha.

The meeting, under the aegis of the Nasikrao Tirpude-led Swatantra Vidarbha Rajya Samanvay Samiti and presided over by Vidarbha protagonist Shankarrao Gedam, called on all the 66 legislators from the region to move a resolution for statehood for Vidarbha during the winter session.

Bharatiya Janata Party legislators boycotted the meeting, which was attended by Congress, Nationalist Congress Party and Republican Party of India leaders.

Tirpude appealed to leaders from Vidarbha to tour their region extensively to build up a movement. ''This will be the last movement for a separate Vidarbha. It is now or never,'' he said.

He condemned leaders from western Maharashtra who were trying to cause a split among Vidarbha leaders to ''protect their chief ministership''.

Most speakers attacked former Rajya Sabha member Srikant Jichkar for claiming that Vidarbha was not economically viable.

Maharashtra Textiles Minister Ranjit Deshmukh said the need was to come out on the roads to intensify the movement, and if necessary in the movement's interest, he said that he would even resign as a minister.

Minister of state for education Anil Deshmukh said the NCP would adopt a resolution for a separate Vidarbha at its national convention on October 2.

Congress parliamentarian Vilas Muttemwar said Vidarbha should be carved out, like Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Uttaranchal. He too expressed willingness to resign in the interest of the cause.

Former parliamentarian Banwarilal Purohit also blasted Jichkar for his stand and said the sale of excess power from the region could fulfil the likely deficit and lead the region to prosperity.

RPI leader Jogendra Kawade called on the people to observe a total bandh [general shutdown] on the opening day of the winter session to send a clear message that people of the region want a separate Vidarbha.

UNI

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