PM blames Cong for AP’s sorrow

New Delhi/Hyderabad: Blowing the election bugle from the floor of Lok Sabha on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tore into the Congress, blaming it squarely for the problems the people of the truncated state of Andhra Pradesh were facing even four years after the division.

He also promised to stand by Andhra Pradesh and reaffirmed that the Telugu Desam Party was BJP’s ally despite the fact that the relations between the two appeared a little stretched with yellow party members indulging in saber-rattling in both the houses of Parliament seeking a fair deal for AP in the budget.

Narendra Modi, while replying to the debate on the Motion of Thanks to President’s address, used words as whiplashes against the Congress when he referred to how the party had divided the state by closing the doors of the Parliament.

“It was because of the way you have divided AP that problems continue even now. When the A B Vajpayee’s dispensation created three new states, there was no rancour or ill-will. It was because after division, assets were divided to the satisfaction of both the states. But in case of AP it did not happen that way. You have divided AP keeping an eye on political benefit. The people are suffering because of your actions,”” Modi said.

He said if the BJP had supported the division of the state, it was because the people of Telangana wanted it. But we had never thought the division would have happened in such a way that it would leave so much bitterness on the other side of the divide.

The Prime Minister, who was visibly annoyed over the Congress members disturbing his address with slogan-shouting for a better deal for AP in the national budget, said that they were afraid of facing the facts which he was bringing to their notice.

“It is surprising that a party like the Congress was speaking about democracy. A dynasty party does not have any right to ask others to be democratic. We do not have to learn from you what democracy is and how to respect others,” he said.

Referring to how the Congress had treated its leaders, he said it was less said the better. “You say you are talking on behalf of the people of AP. Everyone knows how much respect your leaders had for others. When Rajiv Gandhi visited Hyderabad, the then chief minister of AP T Anjaiah, a Dalit, had to face humiliation because of your late leader’s behaviour.

No one has forgotten how the Congress had ditched Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy after declaring him as the Congress’ candidate for the office of the president. It is still fresh in everyone’s mind how you had treated former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao,” Modi said

Referring to the birth of Telugu Desam Party, Modi said that the party emerged from a sense of humiliation people felt at large in the early 80s.

“NT Rama Rao, left films and formed the party to protect their self-respect and dignity,” Modi said and declared that the TDP was the BJP’s ally and would continue to be one. “We will stand by the TDP and Andhra Pradesh and would go to its rescue whenever it needs support from the Centre,” Modi declared as the TDP members rose to their feet and hailed him.