K Chandrasekhar Rao yet to keep vow on meets

Hyderabad: Though Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had said in October last year that he would meet people for one hour every day, it has not materialised so far.

Common people coming from districts to meet the CM are being sent back as they do not have “prior appointments”. Those who are being sent back are resorting to extreme steps.

One Tuesday, when a 36-year-old woman was not allowed to meet the CM by the security personnel, she resorted to this extreme step. She had an argument with the security staff for nearly half an hour wherein she argued that despite hailing from the CM’s home district Medak, she could not secure an appointment with Mr Rao even after trying for months.

She said that she had applied for a government loan but it was not sanctioned and she wanted to seek the CM’s help in this regard.

On Wednesday, 24-year old Telangana activist, Mr Pidamarthi Nagaraju, hailing from Rayinigudem in Nalgonda district tried to immolate himself.

Mr Nagaraju had taken part actively in the Telangana movement and had participated in the rail roko movement in Miryalaguda.

In the process, he had severely injured his legs and a hand and had became handicapped. He told the police that he had been trying to meet the CM for several months, to ask for government assistance, but could not get an appointment. Police said that a depressed Mr Nagaraju poured petrol, which he had carried, and tried to immolate himself.

However, he as rescued and counseled. Earlier, in May this year, a contract employee of TS Transco had consumed poison in front of the CMO block in Secretariat after he was denied permission to meet the CM, seeking regularisation of his job.

Late Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy was known for conducting “Praja Darbars” almost daily from 8 to 9 am in his camp office to meet the general public.

It was later followed by subsequent CMs, Mr K. Rosiah and Mr N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, though they did it once or twice a week.

But Mr K. Chandrasekhar Rao is yet to provide a opportunity for the general public to meet him personally either at the Secretariat or at his camp office.