A bill providing for raising the number of members of Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council from 50 to 58 was passed by Lok Sabha today with government rejecting Sonia Gandhi's charge that it is not fulfilling promises made to Andhra when Telangana was carved out of it.
Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju blamed the previous UPA government for anomalies in the Act as he moved The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2015 for passage.
He said the government is working on preparing a more comprehensive bill to address various concerns and shortcomings.
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Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu, while intervening in the debate, said the previous UPA government's "lack of application of mind" has led to present complications.
He said the new comprehensive bill would address all concerns and shortcomings. However, it will take some time, he said, as law-making is a complex process and the government is moving step by step.
Earlier, while initiating the debate, Congress President Sonia Gandhi wondered why the sense of urgency is not being shown by the government in fulfilling key commitments made to people of Andhra Pradesh "who have been waiting patiently for over nine months."
Gandhi, who participated in a debate after a long time, said the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had committed in the Rajya Sabha that Andhra Pradesh will be granted special category status and the Union Cabinet had approved the decision and had directed the Planning Commission to implement it.
"But it is disappointing to find that the government has not shown any interest in fulfilling these commitments. This is even more preplexing given that the BJP and the TDP are in coalition at the Centre and the state," she said.
