By Gurmukh Singh

Toronto, Dec 12 (IANS) Cutting across regional lines, Telugus in Canada have blasted the Indian government for succumbing to "blackmail" to create Telangana out of Andhra Pradesh. Canada is home to more than 30,000 Telugus who come from all three parts of Andhra Pradesh - Rayalaseema, Telangana and Andhra.

Reacting angrily to the proposed division of their state, they said the Indian government has opened a Pandora's Box which will spell danger for the unity of the country.

The Congress government at the centre and in Andhra Pradesh has ignored the wishes of millions of Andhra people and "succumbed to the blackmail of just one person (K. Chandrashekhar Rao or KCR),'' they told IANS.

Toronto-bases techie Vikram Kondathasula, who comes from the coastal Andhra region of the state, asked, "Can the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) tell me why it wants a separate state? Can they spell out even one benefit of the new state?''

Slamming TRS chief K. Chandrashekhar Rao, he said, "How can one person hold an entire country to ransom? Who is he to decide the future of the state? He should have first put the issue before people and sought votes on it. Only if people had voted for him could he have proposed a new state?''

The angry Andhra software engineer said the Manmohan Singh government has opened a Pandora's Box which will lead to divisions of the country. "Now everyone will want his own separate state. Mayawati has already raised the demand for two other states out of UP. Gorkhas will not stop till they get Gorkhaland. Where will it all stop?''

Toronto Stock Exchange business analyst Dheeraj Arcot, who comes from the Telangana region of state, said, "It is basically one guy (KSR) who has decided this show. Why wasn't the issue put to referendum so that people could decide?

"Not even 20 percent people in Telangana support division of the state.

But here is a guy who has blackmailed people by undertaking fast unto death. How further can you divide and segregate the country? Let a fasting politician die. Who cares?''

Arcot said, "KCR and the Congress are playing a comedy with the people of Andhra Pradesh. There was an unspoken understanding between the two to enact this drama.

Hitting out at the agitation leader, he asked, "Being a diabetic, how did KCR last so many days on fast? It is impossible. And does this guy understand what the new state will be left with? Perhaps only Charminar and

biryani."

Telugu community leader Arun Kumar Layam, who comes from the Rayalseema region of the state, too blasted KCR for dividing Telugus for his political ends.

"Who are these student agitators behind him? Most of them are not students. They are all paid goondas. It is a sad decision for all the Telugu-speaking people.''

Layam said, "It is ridiculous that KCR wants a new state in the name of development when people are not complaining. The Centre should not have acted in haste and the issue should have been put before people.''

Many Andhra NRIs said the division of their home state will fracture the composite Telugu identity.