100 activists donate blood to send to Centre as 'warning' over AP special status

Vijayawada: About 100 activists, under the aegis of Pratyeka Hoda Sadhana Samati (council for securing special status), on Thursday donated blood seeking that the Centre immediately honour its promises and grant special category status to Andhra Pradesh.

The blood collected on Thursday will be couriered to the Prime Minister's Office in New Delhi, they said.

"The blood donation is our final warning to the Centre. They should immediately fulfill all promises made in Rajya Sabhaon February 20, 2014 when the AP Reorganisation Bill was adopted," AP Intellectuals' Forum president and leader of Pratyeka Hoda Sadhana Samiti, Chalasani Srinivas, said.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi brought mud and (Yamuna) water in two pots at the foundation-stone laying ceremony of our new capital Amaravati. Now, we are sending him our blood demanding special status for the state, including the monetary benefits attached to it," Srinivas, who led the blood donation activity, said.

"Justice delayed is justice denied. We have already been denied justice, but the Centre should undo it and grant special status without further delay," he added.

CPI state secretary K Ramakrishna, who was present on the occasion, lashed out at the Centre for depriving AP of the benefits promised at the time of bifurcation in 2014.

"Out of the Rs 16,000 crore revenue deficit, the Centre released only Rs 4,000 crore in the last two years. The promised railway zone at Visakhapatnam, steel plant in Kadapa, national educational institutions did not happen. The Centre seems to have no commitment or concern for AP," he claimed.