Facing a backlash from its own alliance partner TDP among others led by the Congress, Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday attempted to defend the Centre on the issue of Special Category to Andhra Pradesh.
Naidu said the NDA Government has fulfilled most of the promises made in the AP Reorganisation Act and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is "attending to rest" and already stated that a solution would be soon found to the "satisfaction of everybody".
At the same time he charged the Congress of "adopting double standards and shedding crocodile tears" on Andhra Pradesh special status' issue and sought to know why the UPA Government "delayed the process till 2014" after it promised to create the separate State 10 years back.
"Congress party and its leaders were now raising a hue and cry inside and outside Parliament for the sake of publicity on the issue. Why did the UPA Government fail to grant special category status to successor State of Andhra Pradesh when it bifurcated the united State by incorporating the same in AP Reorganisation BillIJ" he asked.
For the past 10 days Members of Parliament both in the Rajya Sabha and the lok Sabha and from both the ruling and Opposition have been protesting in and outside Parliament asking the Government to meet the demands of the bifurcated State at the earliest. TDP member and Union Minister YS Chaudhry too last week sought clarity on the issue from the Government.
Naidu said former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should give a "straight answer" on this before raising questions on the BJP. Singh had last week asked the Rajya Sabha to fulfill the commitments made by him in this regard over two years back as the House took up a Private Member Bill on the issue.
Naidu claimed that Congress party had promised to create a separate State way back in 2004 and sought to know "why did the UPA Government delay the process until 2014".
He also alleged that Congress party was "solely responsible" for the death of over 1,000 youth who committed suicide for the cause of Telangana, the State which was carved out of Andhra Pradesh.
"Just before the 2014 elections, the UPA Government hastily brought the AP Reorganisation Bill and rendered gross injustice to people of Andhra Pradesh. Why did Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi not raise the issue of granting special status to AP in Parliament at that timeIJ
"What is the rationale behind bringing a Bill while in the Opposition, but not doing so when in powerIJ The Congress must give straight answers...The accused have no moral right to point a finger at others. It will be good if they remember this," he said.