Members of the Andhra Pradesh Vidyavanthula Vedika on Saturday hailed Telugu film actor and Jana Sena Party president Pawan Kalyan for his straightforward approach to the contentious Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh.
Responding to Mr. Kalyan’s public speech in Tirupati on Saturday, they said it was timely and had come as a shot in the arm for the SCS movement.
“For last one year, different sections like students and intellectuals had been trying hard to keep the SCS issue alive. Though the Opposition parties had taken up the issue, one was not sure about their real motives. We were desperately waiting for someone strong to re-kindle the SCS issue as it would help us take the ongoing discussions forward,” said Sai Krishna Kota, convenor of the Vedika.
He said political parties had their own axe to grind and so they spoke carefully chosen words to sound politically correct.
“Here is a man who has for the first time taken a categorical stand and questioned both, the TDP Government in the State and the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre, without mincing words,” said Mr. Kota.
Pointing to the fact that the actor planned to hold a meeting on the issue on September 9, he said the issue would be in the limelight till then and even further. “Mr. Pawan Kalyan should take everybody with him,” he said.
The forum members were also happy that for the first time somebody could directly question Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu, a key player in the whole SCS issue.
“As part of our campaign, student JACs tried to meet Mr. Venkaiah Naidu a few months back but he refused to meet them,” he said.
Shaik Chinna Janu, Guntur district convenor of the Vedika, said the need of the hour was a ‘strong voice’ that could take to task both the State and the Central Governments for playing with the future of the people of Andhra Pradesh.
“Mr. Pawan Kalyan is that voice. When a person of his stature speaks with such conviction, it is bound to leave a positive impact. His speech was thought-provoking and it would build pressure on the ruling parties,” he said.
