‘Special category’ Removed From Agenda!

Special Category Status (SCS) for Andhra Pradesh which is strongly being demanded both by the people and their representatives with a hope that it would usher in development, is being denied by the Centre time and again. After Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself declared that injustice was done to AP during bifurcation right in the Parliament, political analysts in the state also raised a hue and cry over the issue saying that division was done in the most undemocratic manner.

Responding to this and probably, with an eye on the upcoming general elections, the BJP-led NDA government constituted a three-member sub-committee to recommend ways to resolve the contentious issues regarding distribution of assets between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

Initially, the sub-committee’s agenda included nine points in the agenda, namely settlement of division of power utilities, division of AP State Finance Corporation, removal of anomaly in taxation, division of bank deposits and cash balance, SCS, resource gap and others. The initial list made the YCP cadre happy and they began claiming that the efforts of Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy are bearing positive results.

However, their happiness was short-lived with four points, including the SCS, being removed from the list in the next few hours. By night, a fresh list was issued excluding SCS.

Giving explanation on the removal of SCS, BJP MP G.V. L. Narasimha Rao said that the central authorities were contacted after the initial list was released to get more clarity. The Centre is of the opinion that resource gap and SCS are points concerning Andhra Pradesh exclusively but not contentious between both the states, he said.

The committee was constituted to resolve only financial disputes between both the states and settle the final figures and hence, SCS and resource gap were removed, he said.

However, the MP said that the BJP was committed to provide all possible help to the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh. Modi himself agreed that injustice was done to the state and that is the reason, a committee was constituted to resolve the problematic issues.

The Centre knows about the injustice meted out to Andhra Pradesh during division and hence, is taking special interest in resolving the disputes to ensure development of the state, he added.

However, the YCP cadre expressed doubt over GVL Narasimha Rao’s role behind the removal of the SCS from the agenda. They also raised suspicion over the TDP leaders regarding the removal of SCS.