Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is "inefficient and unfit to rule the country."
Naidu, who is observing a day-long hunger strike, said: "Modi is acting shameless and egotistically. He is thinking to win elections by colluding with some party. Modi is unfit to rule the country, he is inefficient. Rulers should keep in mind the aspirations of people. Our fight is not for us individually, we are fighting for the sake of 5 crore people of Andhra Pradesh. Modi had to admit his mistakes, make proper allocations in the appropriation bill (budget). Otherwise, the BJP will lose its base in Andhra Pradesh forever."
The Telugu DesamParty (TDP) chief is observing a day-long dharna here today against the central government over the issue of special status to AndhraPradesh.
While addressing the gathering, Naidu, whose party pulled out of the NDA last year, alleged that the Centre is discriminating Andhra Pradesh.
"The Modi government did not fulfill the assurances given in Parliament. Not even a single assurance given at the time of bifurcation is fulfilled. Even the Centre is showing discrimination, we have no option other than protesting. The funds given for backward states are taken back in the fourth year," he said.
The TDP Chief added: "Today we came here all the way to protest against the central government. The Prime Minister went to Guntur yesterday. There are 18 acts under the Bifurcation act which they need to fulfill. Manmohan Singh announced special status. Venkaiah Naidu demanded special to Andhra Pradesh for 10 years."
The Chief Minister asserted that the TDP came to the national capital to explain to the nation the "injustice" done by the Centre to Andhra Pradesh.
Naidu "warned" the Centre and Prime Minister Modi to "stop attacking an individual" and said that the BJP will be washed out in Andhra Pradesh forever.
He claimed that the BJP is trying to divide the nation while the TDP is in the national capital to make people aware of the injustice being meted out to AndhraPradesh.
"Yesterday, Modi went to Guntur and slammed me but did not announce anything for Andhra Pradesh. The BJP will be washed out in Andhra Pradesh forever. The BJP is dividing the nation. We are here for uniting the nation. We are here to explain to the nation the injustice done by the Centre to Andhra Pradesh. We are also part of this country. Our aspiration must be fulfilled. We will take the help of all parties and achieve our target," he said.
The TDP pulled out of the BJP-led NDA over the "injustice" done to Andhra Pradesh after its bifurcation.
Termed 'Dharma Porata Deeksha' (a day-long protest for justice), the strike is being held at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan in Delhi. It is expected to go on till around 8 PM.
As per an official statement, Naidu will be submitting a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday.
Naidu, who has been pressing for special category status for Andhra Pradesh for long, had earlier staged similar protests against the Centre.
In October 2013, Naidu had staged an indefinite fast at the Andhra Pradesh Bhavan here, demanding that if a separate state is carved out of then unified Andhra Pradesh, both should get equal rights. On the fifth day of his protest, he was forcibly shifted to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital after his health deteriorated.
He had also observed a fast in Vijayawada in April last year demanding special status for the state.
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