AP-TG issues may go unheard in Parliament

One ritual of holding the all-party meeting on the eve of the budget session of parliament is over. The Congress asserted that issues such as the NEET ‘scam’, “unconstitutional orders” by Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand governments to eateries on the Kanwar Yatra route and internal security situation in Jammu and Manipur, challenges on the borders with China and environmental concerns arising out of floods and natural disasters, deforestation and pollution, be discussed during the session.

The Telugu Desam Party which is an ally of the NDA wanted generous financial help from the Centre for Polavaram project, Amaravati capital city and funds for various department-wise schemes and also urged that the possibility of reducing the percentage of state share as matching grant in view of the financial mayhem the state had witnessed in the last five years. It had already submitted a detailed report including the white paper on financial condition of the state to the Centre. It is not keen about the special status category but wants adequate compensation in form of more funds for the state.

Interestingly, the YSRCP, which had soon after winning 151 assembly seats in Assembly and 22 Lok Sabha seats during 2019 elections stated that there was nothing they could do regarding special status because the Centre did not need their support, made a feeble demand for it with no reaction from the centre forthcoming. When it was in power, they did not at least request for the special status. In fact, it never insisted that the centre keep up its promise made on the floor of the Rajya Sabha.

The Congress party, which raised several issues pertaining to North India, Jammu and Kashmir and Eastern parts of India, did not speak anything about Telangana which has been waiting for the Centre to fulfill its promises made in the AP State Re-Organisation Act 2014. That shows the regional disparity of the so-called national party towards Telangana. Soon, Rahul Gandhi would be coming to Warangal to give a speech on how BJP has cheated people. He would dwell on how the BJP is polarising people and may mention how it had not fulfilled the assurances given to Telangana. He is perhaps forgetting that the unscientific bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh was the gift of Congress party with the help of BJP. Hence, it is the joint responsibility of both these parties to implement their promises.

Unfortunately, neither the Telangana BJP nor the leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi seems to be bothered about it. The opposition is keener on having a Deputy Speaker, but not a debate on people’s issues. What additional advantage they would get one does not know.

The state BJP, too, is busy criticising the Telangana government for poaching BRS MLAs. Why it does not speak of raising issues like bifurcation issues either in form of oral questions or short notice discussion etc., is something one fails to understand. Is it not the joint responsibility of the two parties to implement what the Centre had assured during the passage of the Reorganization Act? Can BJP get away by just blaming the Congress?

Well, apart from all this, the main question is will the Congress-led INDIA bloc allow the Budget session to be a smooth one, and at least discuss what they had raised during the all-party meeting on Sunday? If their mood is any indication, they seem to be more interested in creating ruckus and stalling the proceedings and gain some media glare rather than seriously discuss people’s issue and find solutions. People’s representatives should learn to speak more inside Parliament and less outside not vice-versa.