Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who chooses the occasions on which she makes speeches carefully, accused the Modi government of “apathy” in delivering basic facilities to the people of Andhra Pradesh that was bifurcated in June last year as she initiated a discussion on the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2015, in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
She stressed that the promises made to the people of AP have not been fulfilled: “We had provided for a comprehensive package for AP in the Act itself,” she recalled, adding, “Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had committed on the floor of the Rajya Sabha that the successor State will be granted special category status…It is disappointing that the Modi-led NDA government has not shown any inclination towards fulfilling this”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was present in the House, listened to the Congress chief intently. The 14th Finance Commission has also not done full justice to the State, which is the successor State of the undivided Andhra Pradesh after the formation of Telangana, she added. She also made a pitch for the Polavaram irrigation project. Andhra Pradesh should have its own grand capital, she said while pointing out that “nothing substantial” has been provided.
Responding to her speech, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said: “There is no question of going back on the commitments made. Let me assure you.”
