Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

Naidu refutes YSR charge on Janmabhoomi

By Our Special Correspondent

Hyderabad May 13. The Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu, has sharply reacted to the picturisation made about Janmabhoomi by the CLP leader, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, during the latter's press-accompanied visit to Kokkonda in Medak district yesterday, saying that "negativism has gone into the nerves and blood of the Congress so much.''

Talking to reporters after a videoconference here this evening, the Chief Minister said, he had never promised a 30-bed hospital at the place. "Will anybody give a 30-bed hospital to a village?'' he asked.

"Even spreading canards has its own limits,'' he fumed. What he had promised while inaugurating a Janmabhoomi round at the village was a primary health centre, and it was given. However, there was delay in implementation of sub-station at the place and this was due to a dispute between this and a neighbouring village. A transformer would be provided to the sub-station immediately.

About the road, he said it was implemented but the Chief Minister could not be held responsible for its condition.

When it was pointed that the 30-bed hospital was mentioned in the signboard at the village put up by officials indicating the list of works taken up under Janmabhoomi, he said, they might have done out of their own enthusiasm. Regarding Dr. Rajasekhara Reddy's criticism of Janmabhoomi, the Chief Minister said, one should view Janmabhoomi as a "spirit'' and not as a programme.

The Chief Minister said he had visited each of the 23 districts in the State at least 60-70 times, and people on such occasions put forth their problems and pleas, extracting promises from him.

All such promises were fulfilled, and not ignored as alleged by Dr. Reddy, with officials listing all of them and sending to Ministers concerned for follow-up action.

Answering questions about the Food-for-work programme, he said lapses or mistakes in implementation of such a programme on such a massive scale were natural. Lapses or irregularities, if any, should be brought to the notice of the Government.

Referring to the senior Congress leader, K. Rosaiah's complaint to the Centre about irregularities, he said, Mr. Rosaiah was doing this out of "jealousy.''

The TDP , too, dubbed Sunday's visit by Dr. Rajasekhara Reddy to Kokkonda stage-managed.

Refusing to accept any of the lapses pointed out by people to the Congress leader, the TDP spokesman, N. Siva Prasad, said here today that they were brought from outside Kokkonda for the occasion. He held that Dr. Reddy's statements were "a bundle of lies.''

The spokesman, however, admitted in response to a volley of questions by reporters that the local sub-station did not have a transformer, the Primary Health Centre did not have a doctor while the road linking Kokkonda to Meenajipet had fallen into disrepair though completed earlier. He had a ready explanation for all these shortcomings.

The transformer could not be erected since the sub-station itself was delayed following a dispute over its location between the people of Kokkonda and Singannaguda. It would be installed tomorrow.

As for the absence of a medical officer in the PHC, he said it was for doctors to realise their responsibility and come forward to work in the rural areas.

Dr. Siva Prasad said he had the word of the District Collector, L. Premachandra Reddy, that the road had been completed. In fact, the work was entrusted to relatives of the Congress ZPTC member, Uma Devi, contrary to Dr. Reddy's allegation that Janmabhoomi works were being bagged by TDP workers.

He circulated a note from the Collector claiming that most of the assurances made by the Chief Minister during his visit to the village had been fulfilled. .

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• More die due to severe heat wave in A.P.
• 18 tribal villages ban naxals' entry
• PWG lures surrendered militants
• Naidu refutes YSR charge on Janmabhoomi
• Deverkonda bypoll: CPI decision tomorrow
• And now, YSR targets marketyard

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu