VIJAYAWADA: Jana Sena Party (JSP) president Pawan Kalyan has lashed out at both ruling TDP and Opposition YSRC for being insincere in their approach over Special Category Status to the State.
Addressing media persons in Vijayawada after his meeting with CPI and CPM leaders on Friday, Pawan Kalyan questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi as to why he was ignoring the promises he had made to the people of the State.
“You have asked the people to trust you promising industrial incentives and much more. But, they remain unfulfilled today. Today, it is your responsibility to honour the promise. I don’t have any problems with you personally. I only want you to honour the promise made to the State,” he said and added that not according Special Category Status (SCS) was a constitutional violation. Recalling his meeting with Narendra Modi long ago, he said he had stressed the need for implementation of promises, including SCS, made to the State. “However, I don’t know for what reasons, they were neglected,” he said and added he believed the Prime Minister was aware of the gravity of the situation.
The Jana Sena chief said in the Parliament, which is the temple of democracy, during the discussions on Special Category Status, TDP, Congress, and BJP had competed like in an auction with one another to announce it for five to 15 years. “Those people got posts, but Andhra Pradesh failed to get special status,” he said. Indicating yet again that 25 MPs from the State fear Modi government, Pawan said the Central Government was blackmailing them not to confront it. “However, the people of Andhra Pradesh, including myself, are not scared of the Centre. We will fight for our rights. The State government is duty-bound to take up the issue and it cannot run away from its responsibilities,” he said and added if the government failed, the people have to take to streets to achieve the special status.
He lashed out at YS Jaganmohan Reddy, who said Pawan Kalyan was acting under the direction of TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu and at those who said now he was working under the direction of BJP. “I don’t act under the direction of any party, but only under the direction of people. For me, only people matter and nothing else,” he thundered. The Jana Sena chief said they had not announced their future course of action keeping in view the ongoing Class X exams and other exams. “We are chalking out our future course of action with regard to the Special Category Status,” he said and added that his Jana Sena would fight alongside Left parties for the purpose.
Earlier in Guntur, he wondered why YSRC was keeping away from the Assembly. “If it were sincere about people’s issues, it should attend the Assembly,” he observed. CPM State secretary P Madhu and CPI State secretary K Ramakrishna found fault with BJP leaders for neglecting the State. “I challenge BJP MPs and MLAs in the State to resign and get re-elected. If they do that, I will never criticise them again,” Ramakrishna said.