Vundavalli seeks fresh push on AP Reorganisation issues
Rajamahendravaram: Former MP Vundavalli Aruna Kumar has said it is unfortunate that no political party has sought a discussion in Parliament even after 12 years of the passage of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act.
Speaking to here on Wednesday, he said the Bill was passed in Parliament through improper procedures and that 12 years have now passed since the bifurcation of the State. He recalled that he had filed a Public Interest Litigation in the Supreme Court challenging the manner in which the Bill was approved.
Vundavalli said that during 2014-19 he had met then Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan and urged them to support his stand on the issue. He also said that the Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy government had filed a counter-affidavit on February 23, 2023, supporting his arguments. However, he said the case has been getting adjourned repeatedly and added that effective arguments from the government side would help in securing relief.
He appealed to the State government to appoint a senior advocate in the Supreme Court to fight for the interests of Andhra Pradesh over the injustice caused due to bifurcation. He said that even after 12 years, several assurances given at the time of division remain unfulfilled and that the State has not received its due share in common assets.
Stating that Andhra Pradesh is entitled to a 52 per cent share in the common assets amounting to nearly Rs 1.40 lakh crore, he said about Rs 80,000 crore is yet to be realised. He suggested that the Chief Ministers of both States should sit together and resolve the matter.
Former MP said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah had acknowledged in Parliament that Andhra Pradesh suffered injustice due to bifurcation. He added that he had included these remarks in his petition before the Supreme Court. Referring to the Tirumala laddu issue, he said it should not be politicised and demanded strict legal action against those responsible for any adulteration. He also called for preventive steps to avoid such incidents in the future.
