The heat surrounding the demand for special status to Andhra Pradesh is getting intense. A few days earlier, Rajya Sabha MP and senior Congress leader from AP, K.V.P. Ramchander Rao took to the well of the house with a placard demanding more financial assistance to the bifurcated state. His protest was met with an unexpected reaction from Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha, P.J. Kurien who called him “mad”.
On Sunday, Rao responded by writing letter loaded with sarcasm to the Deputy Chairman. The letter starts off with a quote by Greek philosopher Plato: “Madness is the divine release of the soul from the yoke of custom and convention.”
He expressed that he was “dejected” and “ashamed” for being a witness to a series of events during bifurcation and now, for being called “mad” by the chair.
He went on to explain why he is not mad citing various instances of his actions in the past.
“Sir, I would have acted differently if I were mad on the day of passing the AP Reorganization Bill by this August House by voice vote by identifying that there was majority of voices saying 'Aye' in a 'disordered House' which was not considered suitable for taking up division. But the Lok Sabha, which was governed by almost same rules, has declared that the division was done in a disordered house even when some Union cabinet ministers were also standing and agitating in the well of House,” read the letter.
He tried to put across the point that he acted in a dignified way when his “private member bill was removed and termed as financial bill by Secretary General of Lok Sabha though Lok Sabha speaker was the competent authority.” The Bill was related to the AP Reorganisation Act.
He also said that his actions were democratic even when the central government evaded answer to his question on execution of Polavaram irrigation project, which is important to the state of AP.
Through the letter, he highlighted that the central government has failed to implement the provisions of the AP Reorganisation Act including establishing separate railway zone, Dugarajapatnam Port, Kadapa Integrated Steel Plant, Special Economic Package for Rayalaseema and Uttarandhra Districts.
He wrote that he remained composed when several of his requests in Zero Hour, Special Mentions, Private Member Resolutions for implementation of the provisions of Act fell on deaf years.
“Sir, after seeing the apathy of Government of India towards the State of Andhra Pradesh and its people during last four years, I wish I would have been mad rather than sitting idle in the House witnessing the injustice being done to the State by the Government of India, which has the constitutional obligation to fulfil the promises made during the process of bifurcation,” he concludes, “Sir, I wish to continue my fight for the legitimate rights of People of the State and I feel proud of even being termed as mad for the sake of people.”
