Harish Rao criticises Congress govt for halting Bathukamma saree distribution

HYDERABAD: BRS leader and Siddipet MLA Harish Rao criticised the Congress government for discontinuing the annual distribution of Bathukamma sarees, a tradition started by former Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) after the formation of Telangana. Every year, during the Bathukamma festival, women across the state were provided with sarees to celebrate the occasion, a practice much appreciated by the public. However, since Congress came to power, the sarees have disappeared, leading to public discontent.

Harish Rao highlighted that when people questioned the absence of the sarees this year, Congress ministers, particularly D Seethakka, offered vague and inconsistent explanations. He found it unfortunate that no apparent reason was given for halting the scheme, which had become an integral part of the Bathukamma festivities. “Regrettably, Minister Seethakka could not provide a reasonable answer as to why the Congress government stopped distributing Bathukamma sarees,” he said.

Acknowledging Seethakka’s admission that the BRS government had spent Rs. 300 crore annually on saree distribution, Harish Rao expressed his gratitude. Still, he then criticised Congress for trying to mislead the public with claims of greater benefits for women. “It is laughable to see Congress trying to create the illusion of offering more than what the BRS government had already delivered,” Harish Rao remarked.

He further accused the Congress government of failing to implement the promises made in their election manifesto, particularly those targeting women. Rao pointed out that the Mahalakshmi scheme, which was supposed to provide financial support to 93 lakh women with ration cards, remains largely unfulfilled. According to him, despite the promise of Rs. 2,500 per month for 10 months, each woman still owes Rs. 25,000, leaving a total outstanding amount of Rs. 23,250 crore. He also accused the government of trying to downplay this by claiming they had spent Rs. 3,325 crore.

Harish Rao also criticised the Congress government for failing to deliver on other promises, such as providing a tola of gold under the Kalyana Lakshmi scheme, the Rs. 500 LPG gas cylinder scheme, and the promise of 200 units of free electricity under the Gruhajyoti programme. He argued that these benefits had been selectively applied and were not reaching all eligible beneficiaries. "They have done little but make lofty claims, offering limited benefits while boasting about their achievements," he said.

Harish Rao urged the Congress government to prioritise women's safety and well-being. He requested that the government first focus on maintaining law and order, ensuring women feel safe in the state, rather than making hollow promises about respect and welfare. "Instead of just talking about women’s honour, ensure their safety and security first," he appealed.