YSR Congress president and Opposition leader Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy has announced his resolve to continue the struggle for special category status to Andhra Pradesh, an assurance made by the Central government on the floor of Parliament, but not fulfilled.
The issue would be on the top of the party’s agenda for the upcoming monsoon session of the Assembly, slated from August 31 and the party was determined to seek an assurance from the government on its commitment to achieve the special status.
Mr. Jagan lamented that the BJP-led Central government had gone back on its promise of providing special status to the State and was instead, harping on special packages.
“No amount of special packages will have the advantages that are associated with the special category status. In spite of knowing this, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is not insisting on the Centre to grant the status at the earliest,” he said.
The then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh made the announcement on the special category status and the TDP and BJP supported him then. The two parties backed out on the grant of special category status after they came to power.
The Central government had made its stand clear that it was not inclined to give special status to Andhra Pradesh. Excuses like opposition from other States and recommendations of the 14{+t}{+h}Finance Commission were being cited by the Centre to deny the special category status.
But a decision on granting special category status was vested in the National Development Council and the Union Cabinet, both chaired by the Prime Minister. “When the Centre has made its stand against granting the special status amply clear, why should Mr. Naidu’s party continue its alliance with the BJP?” he asked expressing concern that three people committed suicide after their hopes of achieving the status were dashed.
He launched a trenchant attack on the Chief Minister for side stepping the special category status issue and diverting the attention of the people in the name of special packages.
He alleged that Mr. Naidu’s stand on achieving special category status that would be beneficial to the State in the long run was exposed and it was clear that he was not interested in insisting the Centre to grant it.
“The State Cabinet which met at Vijayawada on Saturday has not discussed the issue. This indicates the seriousness of the government in securing the special status to the State,” he said adding Mr. Naidu should at least now realise the aspirations of the people and strive for achieving the status that had become their agenda.
Mr. Jagan said the Saturday’s bandh observed by the party in protest against the indifferent attitude of the State and Centre on the grant of special category status was successful in spite of the repressive tactics unleashed by the government.
The government tried to foil the bandh using administrative and police machinery and this could be seen from clamping of the prohibitory orders at different places and arrests of scores of YSRC leaders and cadre.
“Mr. Naidu has cancelled his proposed visit to New Delhi just to foil the bandh,” he alleged.
