New Delhi: Stepping up pressure on the Centre over its demand for granting special category status to Andhra Pradesh, the Telegu Desam Party (TDP), held a protest in the Parliament complex on Tuesday.
Today is the second day of protests by TDP MPs in the Parliament over the issue. Yesterday, TDP members of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha staged a protest at the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Parliament complex. They held placards and raised slogan 'We want justice''.
TDP, a constituent of the NDA, has two ministers in the Union ministry.
The TDP decided to launch protests to bring pressure on the BJP-led government after Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitely told the Rajya Sabha last week that Andhra Pradesh can't be granted special status but the Centre would handhold the state until it became economically stable.
Meanwhile, YSR Congress party leaders today held a separate protest at Gandhi statue in Parliament over the same issue.
Earlier, the TDP had hinted at reviewing its ties with ally BJP and sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention for granting special category status to the state, saying they are "life and death" issues for the new state.
Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu said, "We have waited with hope for two years. If the Prime Minister can spare two hours, the problems can be solved."
"What is our mistake that you are doing such injustice to us (AP)? You have no authority to do injustice to us. We are part of India and we are paying every tax, contributing to your (enhanced) income," Naidu told the Centre
The BJP, that supported AP's bifurcation, had "much more responsibility" (in implementing the Act and granting special status). It can't escape from it," he asserted
"With all my political experience I am requesting. Our MPs will meet the Prime Minister and take up these issues and based on his response we will chalk out our future course of action," the TDP chief said.
With PTI inputs
