Tirupati: SCS slogan only to cover up failures, says BJP

Tirupati: The regional parties, be it the present ruling YSRCP or the previous TDP, rake up the Special Category Status (SCS) only to cover up their failures, alleged BJP national secretary and party AP co-incharge Sunil Deodhar.

Speaking at a meeting 'Rajyadhikaram Lo Samajika Nyam' (Social Justice in Politics), the senior BJP leader said that when Centre is providing four times more than the quantum of assistance and development initiatives than the SCS what is the need for SCS except to play cheap tactics to derive political mileage.

A total of Rs 8 lakh crore is being provided, including air, railway, road, port infrastructure, schemes, Polavaram projects, Etc., to the state, he claimed.

Citing the delay in payment of salaries to employees and later paying partly, he said the state is facing a financial crisis resulting in losing its borrowing capacity also. After becoming the chief minister, Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy's government borrowed Rs 1.5 lakh crore while the previous Chandrababu Naidu government left another Rs 1.5 lakh crore totalling a whopping Rs 3 lakh crore debt on the head of the people of Andhra, he said criticising the both the regional parties for pushing the state in the mire of debts.

Affirming that the BJP was committed to social justice, he reeled out details of the initiatives taken up by BJP government towards social justice and also empowerment by providing plum political posts to people belonging to weaker sections.

Turning his guns at YSRCP, he said rampant conversion activity was going on with the state itself acting in such a way sponsoring them and added that all top officials, including the home Mminister are Christians.

In this connection, he criticised YSRCP Sullurpet MLA Sanjeevaiah who on Good Friday enacted crucifixion carrying a cross but he was elected from a reserved constituency on basis of holding SC certificate.

He said K Ratna Prbha was chosen as party nominee purely on merit, he said, adding that she was the first ever Scheduled Caste woman in the country to become chief secretary of a state, belongs to Hindu Madiga community capable fighting for the issues of the people, he said stressing on electing her in the crucial by-election in the interest of the state.

But, Dr M Gurumurthy was rewarded with YSRCP party ticket only on the basis of his services as physiotherapist to Jagan, serving him during Padayatra and later his family, he said adding that he did Jagan seva not Jana seva got the ticket but it was not so with BJP nominee who served the people in various capacities and has concern for people.

Party Rajya Sabha member G V L Narasimha Rao said that the credit for constitutional status to National Commission for Backward Classes goes to BJP alone and informed that the government was implementing Rs 20,000 crore plan for fishermen community development revealing its commitment for the welfare of weaker sections.

Jagan Mohan appointed five deputy chief ministers to show that his party is keen on empowerment of weaker sections but even his party MLAs did not know the names of all the five, revealing the impact of their position which is only name sake to derive political benefits, he said.

Jana Sena Party senior leader Hari Prasad said in Tirupati all the key posts, including TTD chairman, EO, additional EO, SVU, SPMVV vice-chancellors and SVIMS director all belong to one community revealing the YSRCP's 'commitment' to social justice.