The day-long fast by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu turned into an Opposition show of strength here on Monday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi coming under the fire with leaders accusing him of benefitting industrialist Anil Ambani and behaving like "PM of Pakistan" when it comes to dealing with states.
Naidu's 12-hour fast protesting against the NDA government not granting Andhra Pradesh special status, which ended at around 8.30 PM, saw Opposition leaders from Congress president Rahul Gandhi to Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal making a beeline at Andhra Bhavan during the day to express solidarity with him.
He broke his fast with water offered by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowada.
Former Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh and H D Deve Gowda, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, NCP MP Majeed Memon, DMK's Tiruchi Siva and senior Congress leaders Ahmed Patel, Anand Sharma and Jairam Ramesh were among the leaders who visited Naidu at the protest site.
However, electoral compulsions have prevented CPI(M) and CPI to share stage with Naidu as the Left parties are in alliance with Pawan Kalyan's Jana Sena in Andhra Pradesh. Left leaders said they were in support of the demand.
After Naidu launched a blistering attack on Modi saying he is not following 'raj-dharma' as he launched the fast at 8 AM, Gandhi said the Prime Minister "opened the door" to allow industrialist Anil Ambani to "steal" Rs 30,000 crore from the Air Force.
"The Prime Minister has stolen from the people from Andhra Pradesh and he has given that money to Anil Ambani. That is the fact of the matter," Gandhi said referring to Rafale issue.
Kejriwal, who addressed later, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi behaves like "PM of Pakistan" when it came to treating state governments led by opposition.
"One may have voted for any party but after elections, whoever wins and becomes the CM, is the CM of the entire state and not of a particular party. Similarly, when one becomes the PM, then he is the PM of the entire country, not of just one party. The way PM Modi treats governments of opposition parties in states, he behaves like he is not the PM of India, but PM of Pakistan," he said.
In his address, Naidu referred to former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee's remarks that 'raj dharma' was not followed in Gujarat during the 2002 riots and said, "now, 'raj dharma' is not being followed in case of Andhra Pradesh. We have been denied what was rightfully ours."
"On behalf of five crore people, I am warning this government... I came here to remind you of the promises made in the AP Reorganisation Act," he said.
Referring to Modi's attacks on him in Guntur on Sunday, he warned the Prime Minister against making personal attacks against him and people of the state. "It is unwarranted. I am just doing my duty as the head of my state. We are only demanding what we were promised," he said.
