Special Status: Andhra assembly condemns Centre's 'negligent attitude'

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu introduced a resolution in the Andhra Pradesh assembly on Wednesday condemning the central government's "negligent attitude" towards the accordance of Special Category Status to the state and other assurances made in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act.

When the BJP floor leader, P Vishnu Kumar Raju, tried to present arguments in favour of the central government, Naidu intervened and asked him to think as a Telugu man first and then a member of the BJP. He asked Raju whether full justice had been done to Andhra Pradesh, to which the BJP leader said he will remain silent on the resolution.

"The unscientific division has caused great loss to the new state of Andhra Pradesh. State Legislative Assembly is strongly condemning the negligent attitude of Central Government in implementing the issues in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act 2014 and the assurances including the Special Category Status given by the then Prime Minister in the Rajya Sabha," the resolution stated.

"The state government has tried many times in the past four years to get the promises fulfilled. The Chief Minister himself went to Delhi 29 times; met with the Prime Minister, central ministers and many officials; held consultations; showed protest in many ways; mounted pressure and made attempts. However, the central government has not changed its attitude and remained adamant. The state government condemns such adamant attitude of the central government," it further added.

According to the resolution, the "14th Finance Commission did not say not to give special status to Andhra Pradesh."

"The benefits of Special Status are being continued to those 11 states which were already enjoying the special status. Then why is the central government not fulfilling the assurance of Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh? The state assembly is of the opinion that the negligent attitude of the central government towards Andhra Pradesh is hampering the federal spirit of Government of India," the resolution read.

The Andhra Pradesh assembly has demanded the Centre to give "special category status including tax benefits to Andhra Pradesh, to fulfill all the promises made by the then Prime Minister, and to implement all issues mentioned in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014."

"The house unanimously makes resolution that the central government should respect the greatness of the system of Parliament, and the spirit of the Constitution of India," the resolution stated.