Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy blasts Centre for reneging on special tag
He was arrested and released in New Delhi on Monday
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2015-08-11 06:50 GMT
Hyderabad: AP Opposition leader Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy was arrested and released in New Delhi on Monday while he was marching towards Parliament along with party legislators and activists demanding special status for to the state. The YSRC had staged a huge protest at Jantar Mantar and later tried to move towards Parliament. The YSRC chief, senior leader Botsa Satyanar-ayana and others were arrested by Delhi police on charges of disrupting traffic and public order in the national capital.
Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy was taken away in a police jeep, while YSRC activists jostled with each other leading to mild caning. A few activists and leaders sustained minor injuries and scratches. The YSRC chief later staged a protest in front of the Parliament Street police station against police high handedness. The CPM expressed solidarity with the YSRC and general secretary Sitaram Yehcury took part in the protest.
Addressing a large gathering Jagan lambasted the Centre for going back on its word of according special status to Andhra Pradesh and the TD for keeping quiet, alleging it had traded the state’s interests for personal reasons. Mr Reddy alleged, “While the BJP was in the Opposition it was vociferous in asking for Special Status for Andhra Pradesh for 10 years and had included it in its 2014 election manifesto. After coming to power it has changed its tune and is blaming the finance commission and searching for reasons to evade the special status issue while the TD has been silent in a bargain for not opening cases against Chandra-babu Naidu and other leaders on the serious charges they are facing.”
Asserting that the fight will not stop here and they will take it forward, the YSRCP president has given a state-wide bandh call on Aug. 28 three days before the AP Assembly session slated for Aug. 31. “It is unfortunate that one person had self immolated himself seeking special status as he had foreseen that at least one generation will suffer in backwardness if the special status is not given.”
Jagan trained his guns on Rahul Gandhi and said, “Congress which has divided the state in an undemocratic manner, has been silent on the issue for over 17 months and did not even raise the issue in the Parliament even once but this man comes to Andhra and says that they should fight for special status.”
Mr Yechury said, “We will support Jagan and his party on the issue. We will voice our concern in Parliament and outside by participating in various dharnas. We have opposed the division of the state in Parliament when the Bill came up for discussion we said that the division will lead to many problems in the coming days. We will support the cause of special status at all forums.” Meanwhile YSRC MPs raised slogans in Parliament demanding special status.