Hyderabad: More than Andhra Pradesh people, it is Telangana Congress leaders who duped the state before it was formed, BRS supremo and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao alleged on Sunday, hitting out at the Congress party.
Addressing a poll rally at Jagtial KCR also known as KCR, became philosophical saying he is now 70 years old and does not need anything more in life except to see that Telangana achieves 100 per cent literacy like Kerala and the state’s people completely overcome poverty.
Alleging that the Congress delayed the formation of Telangana despite its promise, KCR said 400 people were killed during the Telangana agitation in 1969.
“More than Andhra people, it was Telangana Congress leaders who duped Telangana. These Telangana Congress ‘inefficient fellows’ are the reason for the 58 years of sufferings of Telangana. The whole world knows it I used to say during the agitation that the knife belongs to an Andhra person (leaders) and the one who is using it and stabbing it is a Telangana person (leaders),” he said.
Talking about having earned his reputation for achieving statehood for Telangana, KCR said he is content with that and the fact that he has been able to serve as chief minister for the past 10 years with the blessings of the people.
“My aim is to see that Telangana becomes a 100 per cent poverty-free state. A 100 per cent literate state like Kerala… Only for that we are fighting, not for any post. I am 70 years old now. What do I need more in life? So please keep the parties’ policies and leaders in mind before you vote,” he urged the people.
Mocking at the Congress, he quipped that that party has 12 people vying for the post of chief minister if it comes to power.
Exuding confidence that the BRS would return to power in Telangana after the November 30 assembly polls, the chief minister repeated his promise that financial assistance under various schemes would be increased.
KCR asked people to compare the welfare measures of the Congress rule earlier with that of the 10-year BRS period, and vote accordingly.
“Please compare the welfare during those (Congress) 50 years with that of BRS’ 10 years rule. In the Congress rule, the pension was just Rs 200 (per month). It was BRS that increased it to Rs 2,000. Now, we are going to increase it further to Rs 5,000 gradually,” he said, adding that the financial assistance under the Rythu Bandhu investment support scheme for farmers will be increased to Rs 16,000 gradually from the existing Rs 10,000.
“Today, Congress leaders are saying that KCR is wasting public money by giving the Rythu Bandhu scheme. Is it a wasteful expenditure?” he asked the public who replied saying”no “.
He also cautioned people once again, claiming that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the party, if voted to power, will dump Rythu Bandhu, which may bring back the regime of middlemen. “They (Congress) say they will replace Dharani (an Integrated Land Records Management System) with Bhu Mata. Is it Bhu Mata or Bhu Meta (land grabber)? he questioned.
He also alleged that the grand old party openly said that they would provide free power for farmers for only three hours against 24 hours given by the BRS government.
Asserting that the BRS is going to come back to power, KCR said, “Congress is nothing, except making noise.”
Speaking further about his government’s achievements, the BRS president said the state government has converted as many as 3,600 tandas (hamlets) into gram panchayats and empowered them.
He promised that the BRS government, if voted to power again, will give fine rice to all the white ration card holders as the state is now producing three crore tonne of paddy annually.
KCR said that Telangana is the only state that does not collect irrigation water charges from farmers and that it is also providing 24 hours of power free to them.
