PUDUCHERRY: Senior Congress leader and Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy on Monday flayed the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) for keeping mum on demanding statehood for the union territory.
Addressing reporters at PCC office here, he said the election manifestos of the Congress and the DMK had promised to get the statehood if the Secular Progressive Alliance was voted to power. "But, the BJP is keeping quite without making any demand to procure statehood and it is amusing that the AINRC has joined hands with the BJP to contest the Lok Sabha poll here," he said.
Narayanasamy said that the territorial government has been facing obstacles in getting grants and funds from the NDA government at the Centre. Besides, the proposals of the territorial government were rejected by the Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi.
He said the free rice scheme too could not be implemented because of the alleged negative approach of Bedi. "Whatever proposals the government sends to her, she rejects them and returns the files without giving them her approval," he said.
The election manifesto of the Congress released recently was an ideal roadmap for promoting the welfare of the poor, women, scheduled castes and tribes, and students, he said. PCC leader and Minister for Public Works A Namassivayam was also present.