AP CM did not make anti-Maharashtra comment: Deshmukh

Mumbai, Apr 12 (UNI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh today said his Andhra Pradesh counterpart Y S R Reddy had not made any derogatory remarks about him or the state government in connection with the Babhali irrigation project in Nanded district.

Making a statement in both the Houses of the Legislature, Mr Deshmukh said he had spoken to Mr Reddy to clarify the matter after the issue rocked both the Houses yesterday, with opposition members demanding a Censure Motion against the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister.

The opposition members alleged that Mr Reddy had uttered derogatory comments about the state Chief Minister and the government, which they said was ''an insult of the state''.

Quoting a news agency report, Mr Deshmukh said the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister had criticised the lathicharge on the Andhra Pradesh demonstrators by the Maharashtra police.

''Mr Reddy, in fact, told me that the demonstrators should have taken permission from the Maharashtra police to stage a demonstration,'' he added.

UNI