VIJAYAWADA: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday suggested that the TDP government forget about Special Category Status and utilise the special package extended by the Centre in the interests of the State.
Singh, who spoke for 50 minutes in the Lok Sabha opposing the no-confidence motion moved by the TDP, discussed issues related to AP only after TDP MPs protested in the well demanding a response. The House was adjourned for 10 minutes due to the furore, following which the Minister spoke regarding AP for less than eight minutes.
“Special Category Status (SCS) cannot be accorded as the 14th Finance Commission removed the distinction between normal and special category States. We have extended special assistance in lieu of SCS, so I suggest, in the interests of AP, that the TDP avail special package,” he said, adding that TDP supremo and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu would remain a friend of the BJP despite his decision to leave the alliance.
He added that the Centre had increased the share of States by hiking devolution to 42 per cent. “Besides the devolution, we give grants to States that still have a revenue deficit,” he explained and noted that the Centre was able to implement many provisions of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014. He listed out aid given to AP for the construction of Amaravati, grants to institutions, revenue deficit and other issues. “AP will receive a financial assistance of `2.07 lakh crore from the Centre between 2015-20. The TDP has some issues regarding the quantum of funds allotted to Amaravati and backward regions. We can give more, if necessary,” he stated.
While Rajnath Singh did not speak about the Central assistance in detail, his party colleague and Visakhapatnam MP K Hari Babu gave a point-by-point rebuttal to TDP MP Galla Jayadev’s speech. He launched an attack on the TDP for not fighting for AP in Parliament during the bifurcation debate. “When the Act was being passed, all the TDP did was just shout slogans,” he claimed. He even alleged that the ‘soul’ of TDP founder, late NT Rama Rao, would feel insulted given that the TDP was working with the Congress to take on the BJP in Parliament. He criticised Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge’s remarks saying, “If the Congress leaders were really sincere, why did they not include the provision for SCS in the Act?”
The former AP BJP president blamed the yellow party government for not accepting funds from the Centre and recalled that the TDP had accepted special package, which offers more funds than SCS, initially but later took a U-turn for political gain.