Rahul Gandhi assures safety to all Hyderabadis

Hyderabad: Addressing a public meeting at LB Stadium in Hyderabad Friday, AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi assured that the Congress would provide full safety and security to inhabitants, not just from Seemandhra but other parts of the country as well, in Hyderabad.

Mr Gandhi alleged that the TRS was creating differences between residents of Hyderabad by provoking regional feelings. He said the metropolis belongs to all those who have settled there from faraway places in the country and it is known for communal harmony, love and affection.

Mr Gandhi made tall promises of making Hyderabad numero uno city in the world and earning international recognition for it. He also talked of strengthening brand Hyderabad by making it the foremost IT hub in the country and also developing it as a hardware hub. He informed the proposed IT Investment Region in Hyderabad would generate job for 70 lakh youth. He also said the Congress would create jobs for two lakhs youth in private sector and one lakh jobs in central and state government services in Hyderabad.

Rahul said with a budget to the tune of Rs 700 crores, Congress would develop the IT sector in Hyderabad.

The Gandhi scion stated the Congress would involve the weaker section in developmental activities. He said his party would show the true meaning of social justice after it comes to power. He announced waiving of loans of up to Rs 2 lakhs for farmers and a Tax holiday for Telangana state for a period of 10 years, on forming the government.

Rahul called upon the women to prove their strength and assured the Congress would aid them in every possible way. He said the Congress plans for 35% reservations for women in Lok Sabha and state Assemblies.

Rahul Wants Watch Made in Telangana

Rahul Gandhi said Telangana should focus on developing the production sector so that after five years people are seen wearing T-shirts, shoes, wrist watches and other goods made in Hyderabad and Telangana.

Showing his naked wrist, Rahul said "I don’t wear wrist watch; I want to wear a wrist watch made in Telangana and made in Hyderabad." He said if Telangana people want to see a proliferating production sector, they must vote for Congress in both national and regional elections.

Insult to VH

Congress Hyderabad MP V. Hanumantha Rao was stopped by the police at LB stadium from making a speech. Before Rahul’s arrival, Congress leaders addressed the crowd from the dais. After Secunderabad MP Anjan Kumar Yadav’s speech, Greater Hyderabad Congress committee president Danam Nagendar announced MP V. Hanumantha Rao would speak. The police did not allow him despite Hanumantha Rao
declaring that he is an MP and the people asking to allow him to address them. Hanumantha Rao left the place after an argument with the police.

Meanwhile, Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad in his speech came down heavily on TRS Chief K. Chandrasekhar Rao and alleged the latter did not speak about the Telangana issue in Parliament. Azad asked how KCR will get Telangana sleeping in the farm house. He ridiculed KCR’s claim and questioned how it is possible to get separate Telangana state with just one MP.

Rahul hits out at KCR, Naidu

Hitting back at TRS president K. Chandrashekar Rao, Rahul Gandhi said, “The TRS said it will waive Rs 1 lakh loan per farmer. The TRS chief never sta-nds by his word and this is also one of his promises in the air. It is not in their capacity to do this; only the Congress can. He promised to make a Dalit the chief minister candidate, but now he is here only to become the Chief Minister himself. He also said the TRS will merge with the Congress, but went back on his word again.”

Mr Gandhi made a firm bid to take all credit for the formation of the new state. “Many parties just promised, but only the Congress fulfilled it, in a democratic way. Even before the TRS was formed in 2001, there were 40 Congress MLAs who had sent a resolution for Telangana. And when we readied the Bill, the BJP-TD opposed it.”

Taking a dig at TD chief N. Chandrababu Naidu, Mr Gandhi said, “He had mentioned a while ago that farmers in India do not have a major role. In their time (when the TD was in power) banks were closed for farmers. We opened banks for them and gave seven times more loans in the last one decade and waived Rs 70,000 crore worth of loans.”

He reiterated that the Congress is the only party that has brought development to Warangal.

“We brought the World Heritage Tag from Unesco, Rs 400 crore worth textile industry in Ghanpur, the 800 MW plant at Bhupalpalle that’s all because of Congress leaders. Now that Telangana is a reality, I want people of Telangana to dream big. And only electing Congress back again will help.”

Also present alongside were AICC in-charge of Andhra Pradesh Digvijay Singh, sitting MP Siricilla Rajaiah, sitting MLA from Warangal East and former minister Basavraj Saraiah, minister of state for social justice and empowerment and Porika Balram Naik, MLA candidate from Parkal Enagala Venkatram Reddy.

Also present alongside were Digvijay Singh, Siricilla Rajaiah, Basavraj Saraiah, Porika Balram Naik and MLA candidate from Parkal Enagala Venkatram Reddy.