MPs from AP, TS cry foul in RS

MPs from AP, TS cry foul in RS
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Highlights

The injustice meted to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana by the Centre by not allocating adequate funds rocked Rajya Sabha on Monday. MPs from both the Telugu speaking States demanded that the Centre honour the assurances given to both the States in the AP Reorganisation Act.

Stage dharna in the well of the House

New Delhi/Hyderabad: The injustice meted to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana by the Centre by not allocating adequate funds rocked Rajya Sabha on Monday. MPs from both the Telugu speaking States demanded that the Centre honour the assurances given to both the States in the AP Reorganisation Act.

Congress members from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana staged a dharna in the well of Rajya Sabha demanding justice to the successor States of Andhra Pradesh. They not only interrupted the proceedings but also chanted slogans on the floor of the House. MPs, J D Seelam, T Subbarami Reddy (Andhra Pradesh) V Hanumatha Rao and M A Khan (Telangana) rushed into the well and demanded that the government take corrective measures.

Though the Deputy Chairman P J Kurien repeatedly asked them to go back to their seats, they did not relent till he finally agreed to give them a chance to speak on the issue. They took strong objection to the BJP government at the Centre on backing out on the assurances given to the successor States at the time of bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.

Raising the issue, J D Seelam said people of Andhra Pradesh were aghast that the President of India, in his joint address, did not utter even the name of Andhra Pradesh in his speech. He said the government had disappointed the people of Andhra Pradesh and would have to pay heavy price for it. Recalling the fate of the BJP in Delhi Assembly elections, Seelam said the BJP would face similar fate in Andhra Pradesh.

Another member, KVP Ramachandra Rao, said though the division of the State had been effected against the wishes of AP, the government could have made up the damage by giving liberal assistance to the State, but it had disappointed the people. He said the government had washed its hands off by increasing the seats in Legislative council by eight.

“We don’t want more MLCs. Our people want special status to Andhra Pradesh, tax concessions to Rayalaseema and North Andhra and more funds to Polavaram project,” Rao said. V Hanumantha Rao said Telangana had been given a raw deal in the budget. “Both Railway budget and general budget ignored Telangana just because BJP was not a reckoning force in the new State. Telangana state needs special category status,” he said.

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