India needs double-impact, not double-engine govt: KTR in thanks-giving motion to Governor's address

HYDERABAD: Deputising for the Chief Minister Telangana Minister for IT and Industries K T Rama Rao on Saturday moved the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address to the joint session of Legislature, said that Telangana and other States of India did not need a double-engine government led by the BJP, but needed a double-impact government like that of Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao.

He said that the leaders of Bharatiya Janata Party, who had said that the KCR-led Government was not farmer-friendly and did not focus on development, chose to turn blind eye towards all the development that happened in the State in the past eight years, vehemently refuted the charges.

Equipped with facts and figures, KTR impaled the foibles of the Narendra Modi regime and the much-touted Gujarat model of the BJP. He highlighted the various areas of failure of the Modi Government like the highest ever inflation, highest ever unemployment, highest petroleum prices, highest cooking gas prices and bringing down India further in global hunger index.

“Listening to them speak about farmers and the poor is our misfortune. They ignored development and always played politics. Ask them to take note of all that the Telangana Government is doing,” he said.

KTR said that double-engine meant Modi and ‘a corporate friend of his’. “Why are they calling a research paper that exposed the Adani Group thoroughly as an attack on India? Is India just two people – Pradani and Adani?,” he asked.

KTR said that Telangana was a torch-bearer and a role model for the country. “A State less than 10 years old is making the country proud. Telangana excelled in every sector as welfare and development go hand in hand here. The urban and rural parts of the State are both walking towards a better future,” he said.

He compared the situation of the State eight years ago to how it progressed so far. He said that all communities in the State, all castes, all religions, people of all economic status were benefitting. “Narendra Modi says we are a family-ruled State. Yes, we definitely are a family-run State, a family of 4 crore people. KCR stands as a brother to many, a father to many and most importantly a guiding force to many,” the Minister said.

The Minister also questioned why some Telangana BJP leaders called Modi as ‘God’ when the Centre did nothing for the State in eight years and was in fact trying to remove the subsidies that the State was providing.

“New projects were not sanctioned and new medical infrastructure was not allocated. The Modi-led Centre is meeting out injustice to Telangana by not providing enough funds. We are proud taxpayers and contribute to a huge amount of tax. Being just 2 percent of the total population of the country, Telangana contributes to 5 percent of the total GDP. If not money, Narendra Modi should at least acknowledge the great work done in the State,” KTR said. He asked for the Kaleshwaram project to be given national status.

KTR mocked Modi’s ‘vocal for local’ propaganda saying that when so much is being done locally in Telangana, why the Prime Minister was silent about those. He said that the Narendra Modi-led Government did not do anything good for his own state of Gujarat, despite it was mocking the Telangana model.

He said that KCR was a visionary leader who was determined to bring change and do something for the people. “Schemes like Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bhima, Dalit Bandhu, Kalyana Lakshmi, pensions for all sectors, free electricity to farmers, drinking water to every household, irrigation to every acre, Gurukuls for education, Dharani portal for land, Haritha Haram for the environment, support to government organisations, parks and urban development, medical infrastructure and so many more are being implemented in Telangana and instead of talking about these the Centre is trying to put us down,” KTR said.

Thanking the Chief Minister for giving him the opportunity to move the motion, he said, “It wasn’t just thanking the Governor for her address but an opportunity to thank all sections of Telangana - the people, the government employees, the police, medical and health department, the education department, the Singareni comrades and the NRI community that supported the spirit of Telangana.”

He listed out the various welfare and development activities including agriculture, irrigation, electricity and many other sectors.