Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday slammed the BRS government, declaring that the state government was “not cooperating with the Centre” for development projects on account of which the projects were getting delayed.
“This pains me greatly. Despite the efforts of the Centre, the loss is being suffered by the people of Telangana. I appeal to the state government. Do not create hurdles in development programmes,” Modi told a large public meeting at the Parade Ground in Secunderabad. “In fact, the state government should help expedite these projects,” he said.
“Today’s India,” Modi declared, “is one with dreams. Fulfilling them is our government’s primary goal. We are working day and night for this. But a small group of people is scared of these development activities. These are the people who are steeped in parivaarvaad, bhai bhatija vaad aur bhrashtachar (family rule, and corruption).”
Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao skipped Modi’s events, the Vande Bharat Express flagging off at the Secunderabad railway station and the public meeting at Parade Ground. Since Modi was virtually laying foundation stones for a medical college and hospital complexes at AIIMS, invitations were also sent to state health minister T. Harish Rao, and roads and buildings minister Vemula Prashant Reddy as road works were also launched by the Prime Minister. None attended the event.
Modi, who never named the BRS government or Chandrashekar Rao or anyone from the BRS in his address of about 30 minutes, said “people in Telangana should be wary of such people,” leaving no one in doubt who he was targeting.
“Such folks are worried about those who work honestly and sincerely for the country. They only seek to fulfill their selfish ends. In every project, in every investment, their only aim is to see what their family gets out of them,” he said.
Modi, who began his address by greeting the gathering in Telugu, said the “parivar tantra (family rule) in Telangana and in other states loot even ration from the poor. Our government has been giving free rations to 80 crore people and lakhs of poor in Telangana too benefited from this. Our goal is not tushtikaran (division) but sabka santruptikaran (fulfill needs of all). Only when sabka santruptikaran is the goal of the government, can there be justice for all.”
The Prime Minister said the country, including Telangana, now wanted to fulfill the needs of the people.
“The Central government’s projects in Telangana are inspired by this ideal and are dedicated to all the people of the state. Fast development in Telangana is important for India during this Amrit Kaal. This period is important for Telangana too,” Modi said, adding that people of the state should stay away from the corrupt power-mongers.
“We have to make the dream of a developed Telangana possible,” Modi said, and for that “we have to be united.”
Modi, during his whirlwind tour of Hyderabad on Saturday, visited the Secunderabad Railway Station where he flagged off the second Vande Bharat express from Telangana. It connects the city with Tirupati.
“Today I had the opportunity to further take part in the development of Telangana by launching Vande Bharat express from the city of Bhagyalakshmi mandir to Venkateswara dham in Tirupati. The train represents modernity, technology and links tradition and tourism in both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh,” he said.
He laid foundation stones for the modernisation of Secunderabad railway station, and AIIMS hospital buildings at Bibinagar, along with foundation stones for a clutch of National Highway projects.
He also dedicated to the nation the recently doubled railway line between Hyderabad and Mahabubnagar, and launched 13 new MMTS services in the city adding to the connectivity of the city to its suburbs.
