HYDERABAD/WARANGAL: In a strongly-worded criticism, Union minister of tourism and culture G. Kishan Reddy alleged that Chief Minister K.Chandrashekar Rao had been pushing Telangana to bankruptcy for the last seven years, adding that thousands of crores of public money was stolen in the name of contracts all these years.
The Union minister was addressing a huge gathering at Thorrur of Mahb-ubabad district on Friday, as part of his Jan Ashirwad Yatra. Reddy said Chandrashekar Rao would stoop to any low for the sake of his party and family. He blamed the state government for not providing development funds to villages despite the Centre’s allocation.
However, some Dalit community elders, along with the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) leaders, tried to obstruct his yatra demanding that the SC classification Bill be passed in Parliament. The police arrested the protesters and cleared the minister’s route.
On the second day of Jan Ashirwad Yatra, Kishan Reddy paid floral tributes to late Colonel Santhosh Babu’s statue in Suryapet district headquarters. The minister visited residence of municipal worker Martamma who did not take even a single day leave during Covid-19 pandemic situation and felicitated for bagging the Centre’s ‘Best Covid Warrior Award’. Reddy congratulated her and had breakfast at her residence.
Addressing the media on the occasion, Reddy stated that he would take the Centre’s welfare schemes and services to people which was the main aim of Jan Ashirwad Yatra.
He said the Centre would soon announce the vaccination drive for kids and appealed that the people to take the vaccine to control the Covid-19. The minister said he would extend the free rice distribution scheme up to Diwali if it was necessary, adding that the Centre was implementing Rs 50 lakh insurance scheme for Covid warriors. Reddy informed that the Central government was also implementing Rs 5 lakh Bima for journalists across India. The Centre would take care of Covid deceased children's education, he said and appealed to the people to be involved in Centre's schemes.
In Warangal, Kishan Reddy was welcomed by BJP leaders at the Naidu Petrol Pump in the city. Addressing a roadshow, Reddy said the country had become a pioneer in confronting the coronavirus pandemic with vaccines and better equipment under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi. He recalled that in the past, it took 15 years for the vaccine to come to our country after the outbreak of polio.
He said Telangana was taken hostage by the Chandrashekar Rao’s family. He said while it was taking seven years to give a two-bedroom house to the poor, Chandrashekar Rao built a mansion on 10 acres in four months as the Chief Minister.
“The people of Telangana want change. We will bring KCR down and raise the saffron flag here,” said Kishan Reddy. Reddy also expressed confidence that Etala Rajender would win the Huzurabad by-election despite Chandrashekar Rao’s plots.
Stating that the Central government was committed to setting up an airport in Warangal, he said but the state needed to respond. He also said he would work towards developing Warangal as a tourism hub.
As part of his tour, Reddy inspected the Covid-19 vaccine centre in Government Maternity Hospital. He also visited the Bhadrakali and 1000 pillar temples.
Speaking at a roadshow in Kamalapur, of poll-bound Huzurabad constituency, the Union minister said he, along with Rajender had took part in the separate Telangana agitation with the slogan ‘Neellu, Nidhulu and Niyamakalu’ (water, funds and employment). Many people fought for separate Telangana, but betraying the aspirations of the people, Chandrashekar Rao continued his family rule. Time has come for the people to fight for their self-respect, he added.
Speaking on occasion, Rajender said the TRS introduced the Dalit Bandhu scheme only because he had resigned. “Imagine how many more schemes would come covering all sections of the society if more people resigned from the TRS. The BJP will surely form the government in Telangana in 2023 and give a people-friendly government,” he said.
Rajender challenged Chandrashekar Rao that he would defeat the TRS candidate in a way he lost his deposit. After the Warangal tour the Union minister reached Yadadri of Bhongir Assembly constituency and halted for the night stay at Haritha guest house.
