In a broadside against the BJP and the Central government, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Tuesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being "short-sighted" over setting up an arbitration centre for dispute resolution in Hyderabad. Rao, who described the Union Budget as a 'golmaal budget' that disappointed farmers, workers and common people, claimed that it was a "betrayal" against the people.
"I appeal to the people of India, after seeing the budget of today, I am totally upset. The false propaganda which has been propagated through the dais of the parliament is totally wrong. The Government of India has no respect for the farmers, no respect for the poor," he told reporters here. The funds proposed for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the country in the budget is only Rs 12,800 crore whereas the population of the SCs and STs is about 40 crore, he said. "Is it enough for the welfare of the SCs and STs?," he said.
The Centre has not bothered to increase the expenditure on health in spite of the coronavirus pandemic, he said. "Let's not maintain silence. There is a need for a qualitative change in the nation as 75 valuable years have gone. It's high time now. I appeal to the youth of this country. The future is yours. Please awaken," he said. The country has not been able to optimally use water and other resources though they are available in plenty, he claimed.
Rao, who alleged that both Congress and BJP have failed to make the country realise its potential, said he would make efforts towards bringing about "qualitative change". "I will definitely play my role to bring about that qualitative change, as KCR, as a son of this country, and as a person who reached a high position in public life. In what form that responsibility would be, how is it going to be, I am already talking to many people in the country. We will reveal that policy soon," Rao said.
Replying to a query on his "national ambitions", he said it is not not for any ambition and that it is for a qualitative change in the country. Dismissing talk about the possibility of going to elections ahead of schedule in Telangana as had happened during the previous TRS regime, Rao said assembly polls would be held according to schedule in 2023 and that the TRS would achieve a landslide win.
When asked about his meetings with West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik in the past and a proposed meeting with Maharashtra counterpart Uddhav Thackeray and whether it can be expected that he would meet other leaders as well, Rao said he may meet many more leaders in the future. "I will be sharing my ideas with them. Those who want to join, can join. Those who want to join the fight, can join," he said.
Asked about his meetings with Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin and other opposition leaders, he said he would soon meet Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai to share his views on issues concerning the nation. The meetings with different leaders are in national interest and I would be ready to even sacrifice my life for the sake of the country, he said. In a sharp attack on BJP and PM Modi, Rao questioned the upcoming initial public offering of Life Insurance Corporation (LIC). "Why are you selling LIC, Modiji. Something can be sold if it is in loss. It (LIC) is getting good profits. It has good reputation at the international level. Why is the Government of India selling LIC? My mind is very small. I am not able to understand," he said. "I am sorry. My heart is bleeding. Why is the Government of India selling off LIC? For whose interest are you selling it off?," he said.
He asked whether the NDA government's talk of doubling farmers' income by 2022, housing for all by 2022, depositing Rs 15 lakh for every household and bringing back black money have been realised. Describing BJP as being "shameless", he said the saffron party should be "thrown into the Bay of Bengal" if the country is to make progress. PM Modi is a "very short-sighted Prime Minister" as an arbitration centre for dispute resolution has been proposed to be set up in GIFT City in Gujarat in the budget though such a centre is already being established in Hyderabad, he claimed.
"If the Centre has magnanimity, they should have praised the Hyderabad centre. They should have appreciated Telangana government," he said. "How painful it is that the Centre is behaving like this. Such a short-sighted Prime Minister for this country... We are feeling sad that we have such a narrow-minded Centre," he said. Rao also claimed that the upcoming assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh is not a "semi-final" as is being projected by some people.
With PTI Inputs
