Responding to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s criticism of the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) at a public meeting in Hyderabad on Saturday, May 14, state minister KT Rama Rao said Shah’s speech was riddled with lies. Referring to Amit Shah as ‘Abaddhala Badshah’ (emperor of lies), KTR on May 15, Sunday, retaliated to Shah’s criticism of corruption under the TRS government by alleging in turn that there was rampant corruption under the BJP in states like Karnataka.
KTR alluded to several recent developments in Karnataka — like BJP MLA and former Union Minister Basanagouda Patil Yatnal’s claim that he was offered the state Chief Minister's position in exchange for Rs 2,500 crore, allegations of corruption from contractors, the death of contractor Santhosh Patil who had accused former state Minister KS Eshwarappa of bribery, as well as allegations from Lingayat seer that mutts (monasteries) in the state have to pay a commission of 30% to get sanctioned grants released.
“A Union Minister is coming here and lying, trying to pass off statements from Whatsapp university as facts. We want to bust their lies,” KTR said. “At a time when the country is in crisis, people want statesmanship, not showmanship,” he said.
He said that although he had posed 27 questions to Amit Shah ahead of his visit, there was no response from him. “When we demand nijam (truth), he talks about Nizam,” KTR said. Addressing a public meeting in Hyderabad which marked the culmination of state BJP president Bandi Sanjay Kumar's second phase of 'padayatra', Shah asked on Saturday, May 15, "Do we need to change the Nizam of Telangana or not?" in an obvious reference to Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.
“I referred to figures from our state Finance Department. Since the formation of Telangana, we have paid Rs 3,65,797 crore in taxes to the Union government, but got back only Rs 1,68,000 crore,” he said. Pointing out that different state BJP leaders had quoted much higher figures ahead of Shah’s visit, KTR noted that Shah in his speech claimed that the Modi government had given Telangana funds worth Rs 2,52,202 crore since its formation. "Even by his figures, what happened to the remaining funds. Did they not use it to fund projects in states like Uttar Pradesh where incompetent BJP rule prevails?” KTR asked. “BJP leaders should be grateful to the people of Telangana for contributing to development in BJP-ruled states with their hard work,” he said.
KTR also refuted allegations that Telangana was a debt-ridden state, stating that Telangana has been borrowing conservatively, and alleging that it was the Union government that was driving the nation into bankruptcy. He said that corporate loans by businessmen worth Rs 11,68,000 crore had been written off under the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government.
Referring to the TRS poll symbol of the car, Shah had charged that its steering is in the hands of AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi. Responding to this statement, KTR said it was the NDA government whose steering was in the hand of corporates. “It is said that two Gujaratis are selling and two Gujaratis are buying (the country). Everyone knows why coal imports are being mandated. But the Union government is playing games with constitutional bodies, and targeting critics with investigation agencies,” KTR said.
He also blamed the Union government for failing to resolve water disputes at the state level, and delaying the implementation of the 95% reservation policy for locals in government jobs in the state. Referring to the disinvestment in the Vizag steel plant in Andhra Pradesh, he said the Union government might sell Singareni Collieries Company Limited in Telangana also very soon. “The Prime Minister says he sold tea at railway stations, now he is selling the nation,” KTR said.
“When disinvestment in PSUs is criticised, they say ‘Government should not be in the business of running the government.’ Why then is the government investing in Vodafone, a private company in huge debt?” KTR asked, saying SC, ST candidates were losing out on the jobs reserved for them in PSUs.
Calling Modi a ‘worthless’ and ‘inefficient’ Prime Minister, KTR pointed out that there was a power crisis in states like Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, despite being ruled by the BJP. “What has double-engine achieved in these states?” KTR asked, alluding to Shah’s remark that a "double-decker government" was needed in Telangana.
Retaliating to criticism that Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao functioned in an autocratic manner like the Nizam, KTR said it was PM Modi who behaved like a dictator. He also refuted Shah’s claims that the TRS government was changing the names of Union government schemes and funds and claiming them to be its own, in turn alleging that it was the Union government that had copied TRS’s schemes like Rythu Bandu, Mission Bhagiratha and Mission Kakatiya.
Other TRS leaders too termed Amit Shah’s speech a "pack of lies". TRS ministers Harish Rao, Raj Errabelli Dayakar Rao, Talasani Srinivas Yadav and Vemula Prashant Reddy said on Sunday that Shah uttered blatant lies at the public meeting at Tukkuguda on Saturday.
Harish Rao came out with facts and figures to counter Shah's claims. He alleged that the BJP leader tried to mislead the people of Telangana with his lies. The finance minister dubbed the Union home minister as 'Shah of lies' and described the BJP as 'Bada Jhoota Party'. Harish Rao dared Shah to prove that the Union government granted funds to Telangana's Mission Bhagiratha, which is aimed at providing drinking water to every household.
Dayakar Rao slammed the Union government for the steep hike in prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas. Earlier, KTR took to Twitter to react to Shah's public meeting. "Season of political tourism continues; Ek Aur Tourist Aaj; Aaya, Khaya, Piya, Chal Diya. 8 Saal Mein Kuch Nahi Diya Telangana Ko, Aaj Bhi Wahi Silsila Wahi Jhumlabaazi Aur Dhokebaazi," tweeted KTR. "Living up to its name B - Bakwaas J - Jhumla P - Party," he added.
Read: