Opposition maha dharna' slams BJP, TRS govts

HYDERABAD: Opposition parties staged a maha dharna here at the Dharna Chowk near Indira Park on Wednesday in protest against the anti-people policies adopted by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) governments at the Centre and the state respectively. Being the principal Opposition party, the Congress-led the day-long agitation programme. Eminent leaders and thousands of activists belonging to the Congress, CPI, CPM, TDP, TJS, CPI-ML (New Democracy) and Inti Party participated in the maha dharna.

Speaking at the dharna camp, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president and MP A. Revanth Reddy gave a call for 'aakhri poratam' (last struggle) to achieve a Telangana which guarantees transparency, social justice and self-rule. He said although the geographical Telangana had been achieved, the people of Telangana did not get social justice and self-rule. He alleged that the TRS government was preventing tribals from exercising their right to cultivation on podu lands.

The TRS government was cancelling pattas of podu lands and illegally acquiring them in the name of Haritha Haram or projects like Mallanna Sagar or Pharma City, he said. "Telangana was formed for the benefit of four crore people. But only four members of KCR family have enslaved the 'Telangana Talli' and it needs to be liberated with the 'aakhri poratam'. This brutal regime is not even sparing small children and sending them to jail," he said.

Revanth Reddy slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah for being mute spectators to the irregularities, corruption, scams and misrule of the KCR government. Revanth Reddy said the demonetisation had crushed the entire economy and the move did not bring back any hidden black money, as claimed by Modi. After destroying the country's economy through demonetisation, the Modi government has now brought 'monetisation' to sell away the country's assets, he said.

 "The Modi government is selling off public assets like roads, railway lines, railway stations, airports, ports and institutions like BDL, IDPL, LIC, etc., to private companies to raise Rs 6 lakh crore, whereas the previous Congress government created huge public assets and dedicated them to the nation,” he said. “The BJP government is pursuing the policy of 'hum do, hamare do'. While 'hum do' refers to Modi and Amit Shah, 'hamare do' are Ambani and Adani," he said while adding that these policies of the BJP government were no different from the policy of East India Company which plundered India.

The TPCC Chief appealed to the people to support the Bharat Bandh on September 27. He said nearly 20 Opposition parties, under the leadership of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, had come together to protest against the anti-people policies of the BJP government which were responsible for rising inflation, unemployment and other problems. Reddy directed all 33 DCC presidents in Telangana to convene meetings with leaders of other Opposition parties in their respective districts and ensure the success of Bharat Bandh.

Revanth Reddy said the agitation programmes would be held on October 5 with regard to podu lands in the 400-km connecting corridor. A ‘Podu Rasta Roko’ from Adilabad to Aswaraopet will also be organised. He announced that he would participate in the protest in Bhadradri. “As an eyewash, the Chief Minister has constituted a Cabinet sub-committee on podu lands," he said.

CPM national secretary Sitaram Yechury alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a hidden agenda for visiting foreign countries. “We are afraid what sale deed will be finalised by Modi during his foreign trip,” he said. Four pillars of the Indian Constitution were damaged by the Modi government, he criticised. “Democracy in the country is under threat and Modi should be ousted from the PM post,” he said.

CPM leader Tammineni Veerabhadram, CPI leader Narayana, TDP leader Ravula Chandrasekhar Reddy), TJS leader Kodandaram), CPI-M (New Democracy) leader Vemulapally Venkatramaiah and others were present.