The Congress on Wednesday accused the Narendra Modi-led government of betraying the people of Andhra Pradesh by denying 'special category status' to the state and said Prime Minister Modi is "trampling upon Constitutionalism" by disregarding the promise made by his predecessor Manmohan Singh.
It is time for PM Modi and the BJP to "walk their talk", Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said and added that the government is a continuing entity.
"Trampling upon Constitutionalism and backstabbing the trust of people have become synonymous with the BJP. The new BJP government has broken its first solemn promise by bluntly refusing to grant 'special category status' to Andhra Pradesh and disrespecting the provisions of Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act, 2014," Surjewala said in a statement.
He said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman (who hails from Andhra Pradesh) stated in Parliament that "there was no proposal under consideration of the Central government to grant Special Category Status (SCS) to any state",
This, the Congress leader alleged, is a "shameful betrayal" of Andhra Pradesh's nine crore people. "People of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are waiting. It is time for PM Shri Narendra Modi and the BJP to walk their talk," he said.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi has repeatedly raised the issue and the need to fulfil the financial commitment to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Surjewala said. "We hope the new government of YSRCP will take stridently take up this important issue with BJP," he said.
On February 20, 2014, Surjewala said, when the Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Bill 2014 was being discussed Manmohan Singh made a solemn commitment on the floor of Parliament as prime minister -- that for purposes of central assistance, special category status will be extended to the successor state of Andhra Pradesh.