NEW DELHI: Reiterating its demand for Special status to Andhra Pradesh, Telugu Desam Party on Tuesday charged the NDA government at the Centre with blatantly violating the Reorganisation Act and federal structure of the Constitution.
Initiating a short duration discussion on the non-implementation of the provisions of Andhra Pradesh Re-organisation Act in the Rajya Sabha, TDP Member Y S Chowdary said, ''Andhra Pradesh is not seeking any charity from the government but only demanding what is the rightful due of the people of the state".
He said the Centre also did not honour the promises made by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Mr Chowdary said during the election campaign in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised of giving special category status to Andhra Pradesh not once but thrice.
He said the Prime Minister even said the special category status would not be of five but 10 years, adding that the PMO has reduced the funds allocated to the state.
Leader of the Opposition and Congress member Ghulam Nabi Azad while supporting the demand of TDP also accused the BJP-led government of not fulfilling its promise of granting special category status to Andhra Pradesh.
He said of the Rs 16,000 crore promised to the state, only Rs 400 crore were disbursed to the state.
Mr Azad said for the development of Amaravati, Rs 10,000 crore was needed but the government only gave Rs 1,500 crore.
Giving history of the state, Mr Azad said, "Andhra Pradesh had undergone a long metamorphosis and it needs full sympathy from the Parliament and the entire country".
The Congress leader said if the demand of Telangana was just, so was the demand of Andhra Pradesh.
"There should be a privilege against this government for not fulfilling its promise and deceiving the people and Parliament," Mr Azad said.
GVL Narasimha Rao of the BJP said the Centre had already extended the loan repayment mechanism granted to special category states to Andhra Pradesh also.
Mr Rao also quoted earlier speeches of Chief Minister Chandra Babu Naidu which were objected by the TDP members. Mr Rao said the value of the package was going on so why was the state government demanding special category status for the state.