The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Forget past follies, focus on future, says PV

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Oct 04, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Forget past follies, focus on future, says PV

By Our Staff Reporter

The former Prime Minister, P.V. Narasimha Rao, having a word with the Governor, S.S. Barnala, at the centenary celebrations of Ramananda Tirtha in Hyderabad on Sunday. Also seen (from right) are Dharam Singh, Sushil Kumar Shinde and Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, the Chief Ministers of Karnataka, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh respectively. Photo: P.V. Sivakumar

HYDERABAD, OCT. 3. The former Prime Minister, P.V. Narasimha Rao, has advised the Congress Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra not to dig into past mistakes and to adapt to the `fast changing needs of people'.

Speaking at the Swamy Ramananda Tirtha centenary celebrations here on Sunday, Mr. Narasimha Rao, in an apparent reference to an earlier remark by the Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, about his liberalisation policy and economic reforms, asked the leaders to forget the past.

"Past is not the indicator for the future," Mr. Rao said pointing out that "values have changed and it is for people to fit into the changing scenario."

He wanted the leaders to anticipate happenings and take appropriate measures.

`Mulki' issue

Mr. Rao said since 1991 the world had changed and disparities had grown. He observed that when disparities exist there were chances of armed struggle too.

"If this happens it will be dangerous," he added. He also referred to the `Mulki' issue stating that Dr. Reddy hailed from a region, which was ceded by the Nizam rulers to the British. The Governor, S.S. Barnala, compared the freedom struggle in Punjab with that of people of erstwhile Hyderabad State. He called upon people to remember the role of the Swamy in motivating people of Hyderabad to fight for independence.

Dr. Reddy praised the administrative skills of Mr. Rao. Complimenting him for changing the course of the country with liberalisation policies, Dr. Reddy added that some of the economic reforms had affected the farm sector.

He said the Congress Government rededicates itself to the welfare of the weaker section so that the rural economy is rejuvenated.

CMs' talk

The Maharashtra Chief Minister, Sushil Kumar Shinde, reiterated his Government's commitment to the uplift of poor and said backward areas like Vidharba was being paid more attention.

The Karnataka Chief Minister, Dharam Singh, referring to the contribution of Swamy Ramananda Tirtha, said his Government had sought Bharat Ratna posthumously for the freedom fighter.

Felicitated

Mr. Rao was felicitated by freedom fighters of erstwhile Hyderabad State and was conferred with the title of `Sthitaprajna'.

The centenary celebrations committee convenor, Paga Pulla Reddy and secretary, K. V. Keshavulu, spoke. Noted freedom fighters -- Tulsiramji Kamble (Marathwada) and V. P. Deulgaonkar (Karnataka) were present.

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