By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The announcement on formation of the country’s 29th state, Telangana has prompted the demands for several other separate states.
From northern West Bengal to Assam, Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya, there are several simmering demands for new states within the Indian union. Some have seen a flare-up following the United Progressive Alliance’s endorsement of Telangana to be carved out of Andhra Pradesh.
In Meghalaya, after the demand for a separate Garoland gained momentum in Garo Hills, now it is for the HSPDP to demand for a separate Khasi-Jaintia state.
A delegation of the party will be leaving for Delhi next week to handover a memorandum to the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in this regard.
The decision to this effect was taken at a party meeting held here on Monday, informed HSPDP general secretary Enbin K Raswai.
Stating this as a long pending demand of the party, he said that the Centre should consider the creation of separate Garo and Khasi-Jaintia states in Meghalaya based on linguistic lines as envisaged in the States Reorganisation Act, 1956.
The HSPDP general secretary said that the delegation would also meet other Central ministers to highlight the party’s demand.
“The party wants to take advantage of the situation since there is a growing demand for creation of separate states in several parts of the country,” Raswai added.