Hyderabad: Ruckus ensued in the Telangana Assembly on Thursday, December 21 between the Congress party and the AIMIM during a discussion on the white paper issued by the state government on the finances of the power sector in the state.
Citing several statistics, Akbaruddin Owaisi said that Telangana has made progress in the power sector under the BRS regime and said that the state is ahead of several states in per capita power consumption.
“It was 1356 units in 2014-15 and it has increased to 2140 units in 2022-23 which is more than the national per capita consumption,” he said.
The Chandrayangutta MLA also said that the state government has provided a subsidy of Rs 47492 cr for free electricity to the agriculture sector from 2014-15 to 2022-23.
On Old City
Speaking further Akbaruddin lamented power cuts “happening frequently” in the Old City of Hyderabad.
“We have been time and again requesting 11KV feeders and also for more substations to be added on in Old City. But it is unfortunate that despite our repeated requests, this demand has not been accepted,” he said.
The MLA said that despite succeeding in gaining a sanction of Rs 12 crore for Chandrayangutta for additional electric poles, substations, and feeders works haven’t begun. “We expect it to be resolved,” he added.
The AIMIM MLA further said that the Old City still faces power cuts regularly unlike the supply situation due to the heavy load on transformers. “Their capacity has to be increased,” he added.
He also asked for an additional 500 electric poles to be installed in the Old City area to solve the situation of hanging wires. “Many areas don’t have three-phase electricity. We expect you to sanction it,” he said.
“….the average supply hours has risen from 6 hours in 2014-15 to 19.22 hours during April-November 2023,” he added.
K Satyanarayana interrupts Akbaruddin
Interrupting the AIMIM leader’s address, Congress MLA K Satyanarayana slammed Akbar for “not asking for those 500 electric poles from the previous government, adding that “he did not raise thee concerns for Old City in the last 10 years.”
Responding to Satyanarayana, Akbar replied: “Learn from elders…please open the Assembly records. We have asked for these things several times over the years.”
Akbar asked the Speaker to give him time to showcase the achievements of Old City in the last 10 years. “We have succeeded in getting sanctions for works worth Rs 14500 crores for electricity,” he said.
Congress stifling Muslim voices: Akbaruddin
Slamming the Congress, Akbaruddin Owaisi said that the party wants to destroy a Muslim party like the AIMIM despite its presence across the country.
“Their goal is to destroy regional parties. What is your difficulty with AIMIM? We are only on 7 seats. But you are not able to tolerate that…your intolerance shows your anger towards Muslims. As a Muslim, Can I not raise issues in the Assembly?” he remarked.
Taking the mic, Legislative Affairs minister D Sridhar Babu clarified that MLA Satyanarayana’s remarks were intended to question the inefficiencies of the former BRS dispensation but not the AIMIM.
Akbaruddin, in response to the Satyanarayana’s question of work in Old City, cited several numbers to ascertain the development that took place in the Old City in the last 10 years.
Speaking further, the AIMIM MLA said that the government might have changed, parties might have won and lost, but the AIMIM is solidly present in the same position.
“I was jailed 5 times. We are not afraid. Former chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy had jailed me and I was expelled from the city. But I was never afraid…I” he remarked.
Revanth questions Akbaruddin
Taking the mic, chief minister A Revanth Reddy said that Akbaruddin Owaisi was made the pro tem speaker keeping in mind his seniority as a six-time MLA.
“But seniority doesn’t give special powers. He has to be patient in answering questions raised by junior members so that they learn..” he remarked.
He stated that Congress doesn’t see the AIMIM and the BRS as separate entities as “they both ran the state together as an alliance for the last 10 years.”
Revanth said that the state government will not differentiate between the Old City and the new city. “That city is ours. To improve its conditions will be a matter of prestige,” he added.
Hindus voted for AIMIM as well: Revanth
The chief minister remarked that AIMIM doesn’t represent Muslims alone as even Hindus voted for them. “Did he (Akbar) win only with Muslim votes in Chandrayangutta? Did no Hindu vote for all the 7 MLAs of the AIMIM? If this is what he is saying, it’s a matter of sadness,” he asked.
Responding to the AIMIM MLA’s allegation that the Congress government is trying to stifle Muslim voices, Revanth called it untrue.
Revanth further alleged that the AIMIM had defeated veteran cricketer Mohammed Azharuddin at Jubilee Hills by pitting another Muslim against him. “His dear friend K Chandrashekhar Rao contested from Kamareddy and tried to defeat senior leader Mohammad Shabbir Ali. How will they be the voice of Muslims?” he asked.
The chief minister said that the AIMIM leader is diverting the topic with the ‘stifling of Muslims’ narrative. “If that is the case, K Satyanarayana is a Dalit leader. You cannot disrespect him,” he added.
Siddipet, Gajwel & Hyderabad South top in nonpayment of dues: Revanth
Speaking further, Revanth said that Siddipet, Gajwel, and Hyderabad South, represented by former finance minister T Harish Rao, former chief minister KCR, and Hyderabad South by the AIMIM are in the top 3 positions in the non-payment of electricity dues in Telangana.
“Siddipet stood first with 61.37% dues, Gajwel second with 50.29% dues and Hyderabad South third with 43% dues. Harish Rao, KCR, and Akbaruddin Owaisi should take responsibility for paying dues in Siddipet, Gajwel, and Hyderabad South respectively,” he remarked.
Revanth also recalled the fire accident that occurred at the Srisailam power plant in 2020 where nine were killed.
“Uzma Fatima from Old City, Hyderabad died in this accident, the then chief minister, power minister, and AIMIM leaders did not visit the family, but the Congress did and helped them. The AIMIM leader did not speak on the subject,” he said.
Revanth questioned the motive of the AIMIM leader to protect his ‘spoiled friend’ (BRS) despite all the “wrongdoings of the former government.”
“You did win 7 seats. But what was the margin in Bahadurpura and Nampally? You should see those details as well. It’s our responsibility to protect to rights of minorities. The Congress made many minority leaders as chief ministers across the country. We made a minority the President of India. You didn’t. We do not have to learn from anyone on minority welfare. We delivered on the 4% reservations to Muslims. You are in cohorts with someone (BRS) who promised a 12 percent reservation and cheated you. You have to decide if you want to be with Modi or someone who is helping Modi….” he added.
Revanth’s speech is immature: Akbaruddin
On Revanth’s Jubilee Hills remark, Akbaruddin asked if the same logic applies to the Congress as it pitted a Muslim candidate against the AIMIM’s Muslim candidate from Karwan.
“…What an immature talk! I don’t belong to any party’s minority cell…..Our party takes independent decisions,” he added.
The debate went on for a while between Akbaruddin and the Congress as they reminded each other of their alliances in the past.
Akbaruddin reminded the House of chief minister A Revanth Reddy’s previous stints in the TDP, TRS and his days in the ABVP to which, the chief minister raised questions on the AIMIM’s alliances over the years with many ruling parties.
