Cong flays Advani for "stalling" special status for H-K

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President G Parameshwar today flayed senior BJP leader L K Advani for "stalling" the granting of special status to Hyderabad-Karnataka region during the NDA regime.

"The Congress had strived hard to get special status to Hyderabad-Karnataka region, but the then Deputy Prime Minister in a letter written to then Chief Minister S M Krishna in 2002 had conveyed his inability to bestow special status to the region," he told reporters here.

Parameshwar said Advani had written that since the socio-economic situation was totally different in Telangana, it was not feasible for the then NDA Government to accord special status to Hyderabad-Karnataka region under Article 371-D of the Constitution.

He also alleged that the present BJP Government in the state was not serious on granting special status to Hyderabad-Karnataka region.

"Even after the Union Cabinet had approved draft of Article 371-J, Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar had written to the Centre seeking modifications," he alleged.

Parameshwar said the BJP rule in Karnatraka should not take policy decisions as it is a minority government as four MLAs are with BSR Congress and fourteen are with Karnataka Janata Party.

Parameshwar also alleged that the ruling party passed private university bill in winter session held in Belgaum in the absence of the Opposition.

Asked why Congress did not move a no-confidence motion against the government, Parameshwar said the party did not have requisite numbers.

Parameshwar further said the party has informed Governor H R Bhardwaj about the prevailing situation and asked him not to give assent to the bills, especially Cow Slaughter Ban Bill passed in winter session.

On BJP's third consecutive win Gujarat, he said it was not BJP's effort that resulted in win, but because of Narendra Modi. "If it was BJP's effort to win in Gujarat, they could have as well won in Himachal Pradesh," he said.