Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu who is going to encounter Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the first time, at the fourth meeting of the Governing Council of Niti Aayog in New Delhi on Sunday, after the Telugu Desam pulled out from the NDA over the Special Category Status (SCS) issue, has targeted Mr Modi and the BJP in his speech.
Mr Naidu criticised the NDA government’s apathetic and non-cooperative st-and towards the AP government on several issues. Mr Naidu found fault with the decisions of Mr Modi like demonetisation, introduction of GST and others.
Mr Naidu alleged in his speech, which is available with DC, to be delivered at the Niti Aayog meeting that the Central government has misled Telugu people in AP on the SCS issue.
Mr Naidu also found fault with the agenda of the Niti Aayog meeting. He said the agenda should have included issues related to the distress faced by the people of India on one side and growth propelling measures on other side, to make India a globally competitive nation”.
Mr Naidu alleged that in according SCS to AP, the Centre attempted to mislead the people by announcing special assistance measures in lieu of Special Status. He said it is worth mentioning that the election manifesto of the BJP for AP assured Special Status for 10 years.
“While the people and AP government are striving hard to rebuild the state post bifurcation, lack of required support from the Central government has made our journey of rebuilding the state more difficult,” Mr Naidu said.
He said the present Union government has refused to implement the assurance of according the Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh. “In view of foregoing reasons, I, on behalf of five crore people in Andhra Pradesh, demand that the Union government accord Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh, fulfil all the assurances and implement all the provisions of the AP Reorganisation Act in letter and spirit to assuage the feelings of further being let down,” Mr Naidu said.
