Modi govt must keep Manmohan Singh's promise to AP: Sharad Yadav

New Delhi: Offering his support to YSR Congress Party leaders sitting in an indefinite hunger strike, rebel JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav today said it was the present government’s responsibility to fulfil the promise made by former prime minister Manmohan Singh to Andhra Pradesh.

Yadav, who visited the leaders protesting for the special category status (SCS) at the AP Bhavan here, said, “I believe in a democracy where, what is said, is done, and what is done, is said. Be it any government, the former PM has given a word in Parliament about the SCS and the present government has to implement.

“I was present in the Rajya Sabha when then PM Singh promised it. Even after four years, nothing has been done. The PM is the top institution in a democracy. The present PM should implement what his predecessor had promised,” he said.

The rebel leader said he was also fighting a similar battle in Bihar for the rights of people. “Our fight is also going on in Bihar despite some people joining the BJP,” he said in an apparent reference to the JD(U) aligning with the saffron party.

Out of the five leaders sitting on the indefinite hunger strike since April 6, Y V Subba Reddy (57), Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy (73) and Varaprasad Rao Velagapalli (64) have been admitted to the RML hospital.

P V Midhun Reddy (40) and Y S Avinash Reddy (33) are continuing the protest. Before Yadav, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury and CPI leader D Raja offered their support to the protesting leaders.