The raging controversy over NTR name to domestic terminal at Shamshabad airport on Wednesday echoed Parliament with MPs of TRS and Congress vouching for strong protests at Delhi. While the TRS MPs registered their protest in strong words in Parliament, the Congress equally opposed it vocally outside Parliament.
Unfazed at this, the Centre reiterated that NTR name to domestic terminal will not be withdrawn. The series of protests assume significance even as Parliamentary Affairs Minister Arun Jaitley informed the House that NTR’s name will continue for domestic terminal and Rajiv Gandhi name will stay for international airport. Since both NTR and Rajiv Gandhi were prominent, their names will continue and there will be no withdrawal of the decision, he told the House amid protests.
The Congress leaders V Hanumantha Rao, Palvai Goverdhan Reddy, R Ananda Bhasker, KVP Ramachandra Rao and others staged a protest at Gandhi Statue on Parliament premises demanding withdrawal of its decision.
Talking to mediapersons later, they alleged that the issue was needlessly raked up by AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. “Why Naidu is using the Centre for his ‘dirty’ politics”, they asked. We have no objection if he puts NTR name for any airports in AP, he said. When the Congress member Anand Sharma objected to this, Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju said they have simply implemented a decision taken early.
In the meanwhile, TRS MP Vinod Kumar alleged that AP Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu hatched a conspiracy on naming the domestic terminal at Shamshabad Interantiaonl Airport after NTR. He told the media the Centre took a unilateral decision on NTR’s name at the behest of Chandrababu Naidu. He suggested that the NTR family members should exert pressure on Naidu against his conspiracy in this regard. Instead, the AP Government can name Gannavaram Airport after NTR, he said. He also sought to know why the name of AP leader was imposed in Telangana State. Demanding status quo, he said the Centre should refrain from naming the domestic airport after NTR. “Our fight against the issue will continue until the Centre withdrew its decision”, he warned. (NSS)