KCR chooses ceremonial dais to attack Centre, Modi

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao chose the ceremonial platform of the Independence Day celebrations to take on the Union Government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

KCR, who usually follows protocols, deviated from the practice and used the occasion to launch a diatribe against the Prime Minister.

He listed out how the Centre was throttling Telangana and leaning towards "non-cooperative federalism" and debilitating Telangana economy.

But why ? Why did he choose the occasion to launch fireworks?

KCR has been maintaining that the Centre has deliberately been antagonistic towards Telangana. At his trademark press conferences, KCR has been highlighting the multiple occasions when the Centre tried to push Telangana, a state that is performing well on too many parameters.

After unfurling the National Flag at Golconda Fort on India's 75th Independence Day he delivered his ceremonial address.

Apart from speaking about the progress that Telangana has made since its formation in 2014, KCR put forth an in-depth report as to how the Centre was playing truant and taking a "fascistic" posture, in complete contrast to how the founding fathers of the nation had sacrificed their lives and selflessly fought for India's freedom.

It appeared that KCR didn't spare the ceremonial occasion too with a view to laying an extra emphasis on the grievances he has been highlighting and that they were by no manner of means frivolous.

For what appeared to be a repartee to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'favourite' propaganda – to criticise family-rule in politics, the Chief Minister listed out several points on how the Centre was conspiring to economically and socially weaken the States of the country to make India a centrally-ruled nation.

"A Prime Minister should be the face of the country, not someone who would have to make a public apology, after passing black laws, and after using violence and jeopardising the lives of our food-givers," he said.

KCR also said that the Centre had been collecting revenue in the form of cesses rather than in the form of taxes, denting States' share in revenue and causing a loss to the States. He said that due to various skewed policies and practices like these, which were being arbitrarily and unilaterally imposed, the economic freedom of the States was being usurped.

KCR said that the Centre was also imposing cuts on the loans taken by the States with the ploy of limits under the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act.

Introduced by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government in 2000, the FRBM limit allowed the State Governments to service the loans taken by state-owned entities. A cut on the limit would increase the economic burden on the States, in turn affecting the poor and middle class.

The Chief Minister said that just like Telangana, the country was built after a protracted struggle and sacrifice of many great men. He said that India came together with a sense of unity, with diverse religions, regions, languages and cultures embedded in it. He said that the Centre was breaking the peaceful coexistence that secular India had been maintaining for generations by making fascist attacks.

He said that Telangana has progressed substantially in the past eight years. "We have become the model State for all others in the country. In only eight years, we have surpassed many States in many categories of development. The State is turning into the food-bowl of the nation with schemes like 'Rythu Bandhu', we are the only State supplying 24 hours electricity to all the sectors. There are tap connections in every household of the State. Our per-capita income and our GSDP has increased in the past seven years and the growth rate is more that the nation's. Telangana has also turned into a beautiful green land due to 'Harithaharam'. All the sectors in Telangana, including IT and security forces, have excelled," he said.

Overall, KCR drew a contrast between the TRS Government and the BJP Government and highlighted how his governance was people-friendly and how Modi was pursuing anti-people policies. This can be termed as politics of focus.