Telugu Desam Party President and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu made several promises to the Odiya-speaking people of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam Districts, but failed to fulfill them after winning the elections, according to social worker and RTI activist Padmanabha Behera.
In a letter to Chief Secretary IYR Krishna Rao, Mr. Behera appealed to him to ensure implementation of the election promises made at Srikakulam on May 2, 2014. Mr. Naidu had announced in the presence of party nominees that if the TDP was elected to power, it would implement the three-language formula and continue Hindi as the second language for Odiya Medium students in place of Telugu.
He had also promised to recognise the Odiya-speaking people as ‘linguistic minorities’ in A.P. besides implementing Odiya as the second official language in Srikakulam district and extend proper caste-wise reservations to them in the three north coastal districts.
Mr. Behera noted that 1.50 lakh Odiyas in 22 out of 38 mandals of Srikakulam District and 7 to 10 per cent of the total population in Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam districts were attracted by the TDP election manifesto and cast their votes in favour of that party.
The Government, however, failed to implement its election promises and betrayed the Odiyas in the A.P., he alleged. He reiterated his appeal to the Chief Secretary to study the issue in a comprehensive manner and take it up with the government.
