The Andhra Pradesh Government hired two special trains worth Rs. 1.12 crores to carry protesters from Andhra Pradesh to Delhi.
N. Chandrababu Naidu, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, is scheduled to protest, on the 11th of February, against the Central Government, in order to demand the granting of Special Category Status (SCS) to Andhra Pradesh. Mr. Naidu demanded the State Government to release the amount in order to carry the protesters.
The General Administration Department approved the appeal and disbursed the said amount. The trains will start from Anantapur and Srikakulam respectively. Political leaders belonging to various parties of the State and members of non governmental organisations (NGOs) and associations will travel by the trains to reach Delhi and stand by Naidu during the protest.
Kanna Laxmi Narayana, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson of the State, criticised the action and said, “How can he spend crores of public money for his political programmes? He is cheating the people with all pseudo protests.” He further added, “Isn’t he the same CM who once questioned the people who demanded Special Category Status (SCS) asking what will we get with SCS?”
According to sources, both the trains will have 20 compartments each and will be hired from the South Central Railways.
The expected arrival time of the trains is 10:00 A.M., on the 10th of February.
Mr. Naidu also invited several opposition parties to come and extend their support during the protest against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The ‘Dharma Parota Deeksha’ (protest) is scheduled to be held on the 11th of February. After Naidu, Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, is also scheduled to conduct a protest against the Modi led BJP Government, on the 13th and 14th of February.
