There is an ‘undeclared emergency’ and ‘democratic values are being trampled upon’ under the BJP-led NDA government rule, alleged the speakers at a programme organised by the Forum for Development of North Andhra (FDNA) at Alluri Vignana Kendram here on Wednesday.
A. Aja Sarma, general secretary of FDNA, has been writing poems, at the rate of one a day, for the past three months, with the objective of protecting democracy. They were brought out in the form of a book. Vice president of Sahiti Sravanthi Cheekati Diwakar released the book. Mr. Aja Sarma, FDNA organising secretary M.S. Vasa and representatives Chandrika Rani and Kuna Venkata Rao were present.
The participants deplored the lopsided policies of the BJP-led NDA government, which was misusing the investigation agencies to arrest Opposition leaders and the Chief Minister of Delhi, ahead of the general elections. These actions and also the freezing of the bank account of the Congress Party and alleged indulging in corruption in the form of electoral bonds indicate the dictatorial rule of the Union government, they said.
They alleged that the Centre was resorting to the sale of public sector undertakings to corporate groups, depriving workers of their rights by converting labour laws into labour codes, amending farm laws and the handing over of national assets to corporate groups. The refusal to grant Special Category Status (SCS) to A.P., the failure to operationalise the Visakhapatnam-headquartered South Coast Railway (S Co R) zone, the decision to sell Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP), which was achieved by the people of Andhra Pradesh after relentless struggles, reflect the attitude of the Centre towards the State.
They said that the ruling YSRCP and Opposition TDP and JSP have failed to protect the interests of the State. The TDP and JSP have now allied with the BJP, which has done injustice to the State. During the last five years, the YSRCP has been toeing the line of the BJP-led NDA government, they added.
