Building up on the failures of the Central government led by the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP), AICC president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday reaffirmed his party’s commitment towards Andhra Pradesh vowing to accord the ‘Special Category Status’ in addition to fulfilling all the promises made during the bifurcation.
Addressing a gathering during the ‘Satyameva Jayate’ public meeting here, Mr. Gandhi said the BJP government had neglected the development of the State by reneging on the promises it made. “Right from SCS to according national status to the Polavaram project, the then UPA government [under the leadership of the the Congress Party] had chalked out a detailed plan to support the newly carved State. However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi seems to have forgotten that he is bound to fulfil the promises made by his predecessor,” he said.
The Status would be granted for five years, he said reminding the gathering that though the BJP leaders had demanded it for 10 years, their commitment seems to have faded with changing political and personal interests.
“Besides this, several of the schemes introduced by the BJP such as demonetisation, GST etc., are complete failures and have become a burden on the common man. The Congress will not make promises that it cannot keep. Hence, once voted to power [at the Centre], we will showcase our commitment and ensure that the debt is paid,” he said.
The relationship the party and Andhra Pradesh, particularly the Kurnool region, shared had created leaders like Damodaram Sanjeevaiah, Kotla Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy and others, he said.
The Rafale Deal (scam) and the ‘nonchalance’ as rich businessmen fled the country highlighted the rampant corruption under the BJP regime, he said. “Mr. Modi hiked the price of the fighter jets to benefit himself and his close associates. When questioned about the huge difference, all we received was stoic silence.”