Anantapur: Pitching for special status for Andhra Pradesh, Rahul Gandhi said that it was the responsibility of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fulfill the promise given by the UPA government to grant special status to Andhra Pradesh when Telangana was carved out as a separate state.
“The Government of India had made a promise to Andhra Pradesh that after bifurcation it will help the state fully and give it a package. This promise was definitely made by the UPA government but it was also a promise by the Government of India. Narendra Modiji should remember that before the NDA government is the Government of India and that government had made a promise to Andhra Pradesh,” the Congress vice president said addressing a rally here. The UPA-led Central government had in 2014 given its nod to divide Andhra Pradesh and carve out Telangana.
Rahul Gandhi had written to the Prime Minister four months ago pressing for early grant of special category status for Andhra Pradesh detailing the “disappointment and pain” among the people over the Centre’s “failure” to honour its commitments.
He had noted in the letter that AP was facing a huge revenue deficit and development initiatives were at standstill. Rahul had also accused the TDP-led AP government and the opposition YSR Congress for not doing enough to pressurise the Centre on the issue.
Seaking on the occasion, former PM Manmohan Singh also recalled the pledge of the UPA government to accord special status to AP and said the Modi government has “refused” to honour the promise.
