Govt looking into demand for special status to Andhra: Jaitley

Soon after the business resumed in the House after lunch, members of NDA partner TDP and the opposition YSR Congress started shouting slogans demanding special category status for Andhra Pradesh. Lok Sabha had witnessed two brief adjournments over the issue earlier in the day.

“Some members have concerns over particular issues.

Government stands by its commitment. We are trying to find a solution to these issues,” Jaitley intervened. But after this assurance, the MPs sought a timeline for resolving the matter and continued raising slogans like “we want justice” and “we demand special status”. Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai urged them to participate in the business after the assurance given by the Finance Minister.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar too stated that the Finance Minister has given the assurance on the floor of the House.

“The demands of Andhra Pradesh is under consideration. I request my friends to take the assurance of the Finance Minister and resume the business,” he said. He further said “I am assuring the MPs of Andhra Pradesh that the government is committed to whatever has been assured. We are with the people of Andhra Pradesh. Give us some time. We are with the commitments and assurances... Please allow the House to function”.

Earlier in the day, members of NDA partner TDP and the opposition YSR Congress forced adjournments of Lok Sabha proceedings by creating noisy scenes to project their demand. While members of YSR Congress trooped into the Well holding placards demanding special category for Andhra Pradesh following the creation of Telangana, those from TDP stood in the aisles and 

raised slogans.

This was the second consecutive day of their noisy protests which drew the ire of the Speaker who said earlier today that sloganeering will not help them meet their demand.

Meanwhile, the state-wide bandh, called by main opposition YSR Congress demanding that the Centre grant special category status to Andhra Pradesh, affected normal life with business activity coming to a standstill and educational institutions remaining shut.

The Congress and Left parties extended support to the day-long shutdown. Scores of opposition workers were taken into custody by police in several areas across the state as they tried to organise protests and prevent plying of state-run transport corporation buses.

State Road Transport Corporation suspended its services as a precautionary measure to prevent any damage. While educational institutions declared a holiday, banks and other commercial establishments did not open their shutters.

In Vijayawada, YSRC workers were taken into custody when they staged a protest outside the bus station and prevented movement of buses.

Telugu Desam Party MLA from Ponnuru in Guntur district sat on a day-long “deeksha” at the statue of Acharya N G Ranga in the town demanding that the BJP government honour its promise and grant special status to AP.

“It is the responsibility of the Centre to support the state by all means as it suffered heavily because of the irrational bifurcation,” Narendra said. In Vizianagaram, YSR Congress workers staged protests outside deports of the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC). They also protested on national highways, police said. 

YSR Congress MLC Veerabhara Swamy, along with party workers, staged a protest outside an APSRTC depot in Vizianagaram town and the MLC was later taken into preventive custody, I-Town Sub-Inspector G Venkataraman said.