VISAKHAPATNAM: “The promise on Separate Railway Zone with headquarters in Vizag must be fulfilled by the BJP-led Union government and the same should be announced officially very soon. Present confusion on the issue is the result of bad propaganda by Telugu Desam Party (TDP). In fact, there is nothing to criticise the BJP or the Union government in this regard. The Centre is committed to grant the separate railway zone as a political decision,” said P Vishnukumar Raju, BJP MLA from Visakhapatnam North.
At the Meet-the-Press programme here on Sunday, Vishnukumar Raju and MLC PVN Madhav refuted the Opposition criticism against the recent Union government’s affidavit submitted in the court on the separate/new railway zone. “As the BJP-led Union government is making efforts to announce the Vizag railway zone, the TDP is making all noise to derive political mileage,’’ said the MLA.
Further, Vishnukumar Raju explained that the BJP was committed to fulfilling all the bifurcation promises except the special category status to the AP. ‘In the party national council meeting held in Delhi in March, BJP national president Amit Shah clearly stated that the Railway ministry had already given its report against the new railway zone stating that since 15 railway zones are already there, it is not viable to form another railway zone.
But the BJP is determined to give the separate railway zone to the AP as per the election promise. “Amit Shah said that MP Haribabu and I were also there in that meeting,” the MLA said. “Recently Union Home minister Rajnath Singh also announced in the Rajya Sabha that he would announce the separate railway zone and the BJP leaders from Vizag too went to Delhi to convey thanks on behalf of the Noth Andhra people on announcing the railway zone,’ the MLA said.
Several leaders and representatives of Opposition parties, including the CPI, CPM, Lok Satta, Congress and several student unions staged a dharna at the Gandhi Statue place here and took a rally from the Gandhi statue to Gurajada statue near the RTC Complex on Sunday against the recent affidavit submitted in the court by Union government. On the occasion, the protesters raised slogans against the BJP and Central government and pro-SCS and separate railway zone demands.
They displayed placards with the railway zone demand. Agitators also demanded immediate resignation of Haribabu as he was unable to achieve the railway zone. The Opposition leaders and student representatives criticized the BJP stand and alleged that the BJP leaders’ recent ‘Thanks giving visit to Delhi’ is a drama in the whole episode. “BJP leaders made announcements that the Centre would announce the railway zone soon and their leaders went to Delhi to convey thanks to the party leaders and the government, while the government submitted an affidavit stating that the railway zone to AP is not feasible,” they criticized.