CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat on Sunday said the people of Andhra Pradesh were being deceived both by the State and Union governments.
Addressing the media here, Ms Brinda Karat said the Union government had breached the trust of the people by not agreeing to extend the Special Category Status (SCS) promised to the State on the Floor of Parliament. “Now, it (Union government) isn’t even bothering to keep its word on the special package promised to the State. As per reports, the Union government isn’t granting any sensible quantum of money for the construction of the Polavaram project,” she said.
Referring to the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), she alleged that wages to the tune of ₹867 crore were yet to be paid to the poor engaged under the scheme. “What is the use of the friendship between the TDP in the State and the BJP at the Centre if it is not able to get funds to pay wages to the poor?” she questioned, and said the friendship hadn’t made any positive impact on the welfare or development of the people.
She also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of “keeping silent” on certain issues in the country such as murders being committed in the name of ‘Gau Raksha’ and attacks on rationalists and intellectuals.
“The silence of the Union government has only emboldened the divisive forces in the country,” Ms. Brinda Karat said. She accused the BJP and the RSS of trying to drive a wedge between religions to further their aim of ushering in a “Hindu Rajya.”
Ms. Brinda Karat demanded that the State government immediately open groundnut procurement centres and offer minimum support price that was commensurate with the price at which it sells seed to the farmers.
