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Andhra Pradesh
By Our Staff Reporter
"Mr. Venkaiah Naidu also hails from Andhra Pradesh, is the national president of the BJP and moreover, a Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka. Let Mr. Venkaiah Naidu talk to the BJP in Karnataka, which has reasonable strength, and ask it to state that the construction of Paragodu was unjust,'' he demanded. At a press conference at Marripadu in Srikakulam district during the 65th day of his Prajaprasthanam, he said on an issue concerning a particular State, all the parties take a similar stand just as the Congress, BJP and TDP in the State had the same views on Paragodu. The name of Sonia Gandhi was taken repeatedly to politicise the issue though it had been stated categorically that there was no question of Sonia Gandhi talking to the Karnataka Government, he said. Charging Mr. Chandrababu Naidu with politicising the issue instead of safeguarding the interests of the State fulfilling the responsibility of the State Government, he wondered what was the reason behind raising the issue of Paragodu again and again in which ayacut was for 642 ha. Mr Chandrababu Naidu had kept quiet when the height of Alamatti dam affecting lakhs of hectares of ayacut was increased. Mr. Naidu was not acting with the intention of resolving the issue but indulging in political drama. Questioning the rationale of a pre-condition that talks would not be held with Karnataka unless the construction of the dam was stopped, he asked, "Are they (the Karnataka Government) naxalites''(to hold talks with them laying down of arms was a condition). Dr. Rajasekhara Reddy expressed the view that behind the Chief Minister's reluctance to hold talks or convene an all-party meeting, as demanded by Congress and the TDP's ally, BJP, was probably the fear that the serious lapses the TDP Government had committed would be exposed. The TDP Government was also not willing to utilise the forum of a tripartite meeting with the Karnataka Government as suggested by the Central Government. On the other hand, the petition filed by the State Government in the Supreme Court had suffered a setback on technical grounds. "Is it the way to protect the interests of the State'' he asked. Besides, even when the Congress MPs and leaders had volunteered to accompany the TDP delegation that met the Prime Minister, they were not allowed. Comparing the stand taken by Mr. Chandrababu Naidu during the United Front rule at the Centre when the Alamatti dam height was raised, Dr. Rajasekhara Reddy pointed out that the Deve Gowda Government was in power with the full support of the TDP. Moreover, the State Government in Karnataka was headed by the party to which Deve Gowda belonged. But never was pressure was brought on Mr. Deve Gowda. Neither a firm effort made to stop the construction nor the Chief Minister was so vocal in his opposition, CLP leader alleged. "When he did not seriously try to stop increasing the height of Alamatti dam at that time he had no moral right to seek Sonia Gandhi's intervention," he said. Making his party's stand clear, Dr. Rajasekhara Reddy said though it was ready to give the necessary moral support, the Chief Minister was not prepared to hold an all-party meeting and inform them what were the lapses committed by the Karnataka Government and how the State's rights were being protected. Since it's a rift between Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh both the Governments should discuss it across the table or bring pressure on the Karnataka Government through the Central Government. The TDP MPs and MLAs leading a protest into Karnataka area on the issue and the damage caused to buses there was against democratic norms and was condemned by media and intelligentsia in that State. Further organising a Chalo Delhi programme with 5,000 people was a mere publicity stunt. If the Chief Minister really wanted to bring pressure on the Central Water Commission or the Central Government, surviving on his support, he could do it in half a minute.
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