New Delhi: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today assured Lok Sabha members from Andhra Pradesh that the government was looking at their demand for the special category status for the state.
Soon after the business resumed in the House after lunch, members of NDA partner TDP and the opposition YSR Congress started shouting slogans demanding special category status for Andhra Pradesh. Lok Sabha had witnessed two brief adjournments over the issue earlier in the day.
“I can appreciate some Members from Andhra Pradesh certainly are concerned over a particular issue. I have repeatedly said that the government stands by the commitments it has made in supporting Andhra Pradesh to the fullest. Even today I have had a word with the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, and we are trying to find a solution to these issues very shortly,” Jaitley said.
But after this assurance, the MPs sought a timeline for resolving the matter and continued raising slogans like “we want justice” and “we demand special status”.
Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai urged them to participate in the business after the assurance given by the Finance Minister.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar too stated that the Finance Minister has given the assurance on the floor of the House.
“The demands of Andhra Pradesh is under consideration. I request my friends to take the assurance of the Finance Minister and resume the business,” he said.
“We are with you; we are with the people of Andhra Pradesh. Give us some time so that we can completely bring it to conclusion. We can implement it. Therefore, when we are with the commitment, we are with the assurances and we are going to do it, then I think…,” Kumar said.
He further said “I am assuring the MPs of Andhra Pradesh that the government is committed to whatever has been assured. We are with the people of Andhra Pradesh. Give us some time. We are with the commitments and assurances… Please allow the House to function”.
Earlier in the day, members of NDA partner TDP and the opposition YSR Congress forced adjournments of Lok Sabha proceedings by creating noisy scenes to project their demand.
While members of YSR Congress trooped into the Well holding placards demanding special category for Andhra Pradesh following the creation of Telangana, those from TDP stood in the aisles and raised slogans.
This was the second consecutive day of their noisy protests which drew the ire of the Speaker who said earlier today that sloganeering will not help them meet their demand.
PTI