YS Jagan’s spirited speech on special status

Leader of Opposition in AP Assembly YS Jagan Mohan Reddy demolished the argument of chief minister Chandrababu Naidu on special state status during the debate on the issue in the assembly. Here are the highlights:

Though Chandrababu Naidu spoke at length in the debate, but did not talk much about the special status, what he had done so far and what is his action plan on the issue of special state status to Andhra Pradesh.
We have notice for no confidence motion on several occasions when we opposed the division of the state. But every time, it could not be admitted as it could not muster up the required numbers. It implies that the TDP did not obviously support the motion. On the third such occasion, we withdrew the motion as Lok Pal Bill was included in a supplementary note, only to give notice the next day. We gave notice five times after that. But, the TDP did not support us.
Both the TDP and the Congress colluded on several issues earlier. The TDP had actually saved the Kiran Kumar Reddy government by abstaining from voting. They even issued a whip to that effect.
Everyone in the state knows who steadfastly stood to protect the interests of Andhra Pradesh and who betrayed it.
When the then Prime Minister said there would be special status for AP, the opposition, including the BJP and the TDP, wanted the special status for not just five, but ten years. But, why are those assurances being ignored?
We belong to a different generation than that of Chandrababu Naidu. He has no time to study and do homework. A special status state will have 90 per cent grant component, while non-status states will have only 30 per cent grant component. The special status states also enjoy excise, customs, corporate tax and income tax concessions.
There are 11 special category states in the country now. The benefits they enjoy are not enjoyed by anyone else. There would be special AIDB support for irrigation projects like Polavaram, Galeru Nagari, Veligonda. Vizag city will also get Metro rail project.
Chandrababu Naidu on one hand says that AP needs special status as there are many benefits. On the other hand, he also says that the benefits that actually accrue are meager. It appears it is a case of sour grapes.
Contrary to what Chandrababu Naidu says, there are no criteria for grants under special status. They are based on the past performance. For non-status states the grants will be smaller. When J and K was ravaged by floods, as a special status state it got a staggering 70000 crore as grant.
On March 2, 2014, the then government forwarded the resolution seeking special status for the successor state of Andhra Pradesh to the Planning Commission. It has been 18 months and what did the government do all these days? During Vajpayee regime, Uttarakhand was given special status merely on the basis of a cabinet decision. It was later ratified by parliament. It is to be understood that the PM is the head of both the cabinet and the Planning Commission, now Niti Ayog.
In our case, though the cabinet approved special status, it has not been implemented so far in AP’s case. Why? All the 11 states that have special status now, have got the status by executive decision alone.
The TDP ministers are now saying that the special status is not being given as states like Maharashtra, Odisha and Tamil Nadu are objecting. But, these states were very much there when the state was bifurcated and the promise of special status was given by the prime minister himself.
Chandrababu is trying to teach us morals on the very date when he back-stabbed his father in law 20 years ago. He should not preach morals to us.