'Why did Congress keep quiet for 10 years on special category status to AP?' questions BJP

New Delhi: The BJP on Tuesday hit back at Congress for remaining silence over granting special category status to bifurcated Andhra Pradesh for the last 10 years when it was in power, a day after Rahul Gandhi wrote to Prime Minister for "failing" to honour commitment on the issue.

BJP leader and Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu slammed the Congress for not including the Special Category Status issue in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act and for failing to get approval from the Planning Commission.

"Having kept quiet (and) being silent when Andhra Pradesh division has taken place, why these leaders who are writing letters have not raised the issue of special status in Parliament. Straight question?" Naidu asked.

"Why you have not included it in the Act. Why you have not taken the approval of the Planning Commission? Simply referring it afterwards and making all promises because you know you are not going to be there. That is what you have done," he added.

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Terming the opposition's protests of burning effigies of the Prime Minister as "totally uncalled for", Naidu said that Congress was "silent" over carving out a separate state for ten years of being in power, which it had promised in 2004.

"Ten years, you were silent and now within 10 months you are becoming violent, burning the effigies of the Prime Minister, which is totally uncalled for," he said.

Stressing the BJP-led government at the Centre was "aware" about the promises it made to the people, Naidu, who hails from Andhra Pradesh said, "We will fulfil the promises that were made in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act."

Gandhi, on Monday, wrote to Modi pressing for early grant of special category status for Andhra Pradesh, telling him about "disappointment and pain" among people over the Centre's "failure" to honour its commitments.