KARIMNAGAR: By granting statehood without pondering too much about the political ramifications, Sonia Gandhi as the UPA chairperson and Congress president had fulfilled the Telangana people's long-cherished dreams and aspirations, but Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao, who promised the people "Bangaru Telangana," betrayed the hopes of the people, TPCC president A. Revanth Reddy said on the concluding day of his ‘Haath Se Haath Jodo’ padayatra in Karimnagar constituency on Thursday.
Revanth Reddy, speaking to a massive gathering on Thursday at Karimnagar's Ambedkar stadium, said that Telangana state was founded by the sacrifice of about 1,200 young people under the slogan "Neellu, Needulu and Niyamakalu (water, funds, and jobs).” However, the Chief Minister had failed to fulfil several promises, including Rs 1 lakh farm loan waiver, distribution of three acres of land, double-bedroom houses, jobs to every family, 12 per cent reservations to the tribal people and minorities, and KG to PG free education.
Revanth Reddy wondered with what face Rao would go to the people of Karimnagar to seek votes after failing to keep his promises. "KCR was elected MP three times from Karimnagar, Vinod was elected MP twice, and Bandi Sanjay once, but what they did do for the people of Karimnagar? Ponnam Prabhakar, who was elected on the Congress ticket once, pushed for a Telangana state in Parliament till the Bill was introduced, despite overcoming numerous challenges,” Revanth Reddy remarked.
He also slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his remarks that the Congress had “killed the mother and saved the child,” referring to statehood for Telangana. “Why should the people of Telangana vote for the BJP when it strongly opposed the formation of a Telangana state,” he asked.
The Congress government had granted 10 lakh acres of podu land to the Adivasi people by enacting the Adivasi Protection Act. To help those who had lost their land, the Land Acquisition Act was enacted.
He wondered, what did the BJP government do for Telangana and its people. “What happened to the Bayyaram Steel Factory, the Kazipet Railway Coach Factory, the IIIT, the ITIR Corridor, the tribal university, and AIIMS,” he asked.
Telangana has become a “beeru and baaru” (beer and bar) state rather than Bangaru Telangana since the state's founding and under Rao’s rule. After the formation of the Telangana state, the income from liquor sales jumped from Rs 10,000 crore to Rs 36,000 crore, he said.
“There are 3,000 wine stores and 60,000 belt shops in Karimnagar. Is KCR planning to introduce a Telangana-style model in the rest of the country? People will not believe Delhi Modi and Galli Kedi (KCR),” he remarked.
He promised that a Congress government would open rythu bazaars and purchase all grains from farmers, sanction Rs 5 lakh for the construction of houses for poor families, increase Aarogyasri cover to Rs 5 lakh, waive Rs 2 lakh crop loans, recruit 2 lakh people in various departments and reduce the price of LPG cylinders to Rs 500.
