Minutes after ending his day-long fast to protest the ‘injustice’ being meted out to Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu lashed out at the Central government.
The CM who turned 68 on Friday, launched the 'Dharma Porata Deeksha' hunger strike at Indira Gandhi Municipal Stadium in Vijayawada to demand that the Centre to accord special status to the state and fulfil all commitments made at the time of bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh to carve out Telangana state in 2014.
"We are very clear. This is a fight for justice and there is no compromise on that. I'm not asking any undue favours. It is all in the AP Reorganization Act and also they (Centre) have promised Special Category Status (SCS)," Naidu told reporters.
"Even today, after giving all these things, Andhra will still be backward compared to neighbouring states. It is not the mistake of our people. The state has been divided, but not on a scientific basis. Now it is your responsibility to hand-hold and fulfill all that was promised," he said, addressing the central government.
The CM also accused the BJP of always 'playing politics' over the issues.
"If this is not done and if BJP leaders and the NDA government continue to blackmail, attack and sabotage the cause, people are very clever. The BJP has to realise and understand that they can't play politics day in and day out," Naidu said.
The Andhra Chief Minister also warned the Centre against isolating people in south India.
"You can't isolate people and always victimise the sentiments of the people. If you wound sentiments, that is dangerous to national integrity. The PM has made a promise and there is an Act. By not implementing the Act, already people in Andhra are wounded. Again, you are hitting on the wound. What is the message you are giving?" Naidu asked.
He also warned TDP activists that the NDA government might create trouble for the state.
“There are rumours that the Centre will concentrate on AP after the Karnataka polls, and they will try to create trouble for me personally, like they did in Tamil Nadu and other states. I am not afraid of such tactics. I ask the public to be aware of such tricks, and to remain united,” Naidu was quoted as saying.
State ministers Kala Venkat Rao, D. Umamaheswara Rao, Nara Lokesh, Kollu Ravindra, MPs and state legislators and leaders of the TDP joined him in the fast at the massive programme organised by the state government.
IANS inputs