No discrimination against Andhra Pradesh: Union Minister G Kishan Reddy
VIJAYAWADA: Stating that the Narendra Modi government has always been committed to Andhra Pradesh’s development, Union Minister for Tourism and Culture G Kishan Reddy said that the Centre would intervene, within the framework of cooperative federalism, in all aspects of the state whenever its presence is needed and wherever its responsibilities lie in to ensure justice to AP. He reiterated that the Modi government would never mete out injustice to AP and alleged that some political forces were trying to project that AP was being discriminated against by the Centre.
Speaking to the party workers during his first visit to Vijayawada, as a part of ‘Jana Asirwada Yatra’, after being elevated as a Union cabinet minister, Kishan Reddy cited notifying Krishna and Godavari River Management Boards jurisdictions as an example for the Centre taking responsibility to ensure justice.
“Some people have been deliberately resorting to propaganda that the Centre has been discriminating against AP when it comes to development. They could be doing it out of political need or temporary necessities. The Centre never acted against AP’s interests. The Centre will intervene whenever AP needs justice within the cooperative federalism framework.
When AP and Telangana were fighting over sharing of Krishna water, the Modi government took over the control so that neither of them is at a loss and the tensions between them resolve,” he said, in the meeting held in Vijayawada on Thursday. The BJP wants AP’s rapid and comprehensive development and that there is no question of injustice to the State, he added. Earlier in the day, while interacting with the media in Tirupati, the Union minister said both the States should arrive at a consensus over the issues of water sharing and that the Centre was also persuading for an amicable solution.
“Both states have been fighting even as large amount of water has been going waste into the sea. So, we should amicably resolve it and work towards tapping every drop that goes into the sea. Recently, the river management boards took over the projects. In the coming days, we will request both the States and CMs to amicably resolve the issues as we were together as one state till recently and we parted ways for development. So, we should cooperate and work for development, but not fight. I will also do my bit and talk to the CMs to arrive at a consensus,” he explained. He added that the Centre had invited both the CMs and officials in the past, but some have not turned up. “GOI is persuading again. We are confident that we will resolve it,” he asserted.
Kishan Reddy alleged that the YSRC government was resorting to vendetta politics in AP and was harassing BJP workers. “Party workers are harassed by the police. In a democratic setup, political parties, including the BJP, should realise that power is not permanent. People are the judges and they are wise. So, all governments, CMs, ministers, MLAs, central ministers and PM should work in the interest of the people,” he advised.