HYDERABAD: In a significant change of stance, TRS working president KT Rama Rao on Friday sought to strike a chord with Hindus by raising the ‘Bharat Mata ki jai’ slogan while addressing an election meeting with the Builders Federation here on Friday.
Alleging that the BJP was raising emotive issues ahead of the Lok Sabha elections for quick political gains, the TRS working president said the TRS never resorted to such “cheap (chillar) politics” of pitting castes, communities and regions against each other.
“They (BJP) are provoking the Hindus. They say ‘Bharat Mata ki jai’. We are not denying it. We too say ‘Bharat Mata ki jai’. All those living in this country are Bhaarateeyulu. We are all Hindus,” Rama Rao asserted.
He went on to say: “We (TRS) are not political Hindus. Our Hindutva is not for votes. When we built temples (Yadadri) and performed Yagas, we were practising what we believe in. We are not enacting melodramas for the sake of votes.” The TRS leader further attacked the BJP for provoking sentiments by raking up Pakistan-India, Hindu-Muslim and Mandir-Masjid issues.
There’s political vacuum at the Centre: KTR
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed the credit for the surgical strikes on terror hideouts in Pakistan. But will he take credit for Pulwama? Taking credit for victory and refusing to take credit for failure in preventing Pulwama does not add lustre to his stature,” Rama Rao said.Averring that there was a political vacuum at the Centre, Rama Rao said regional parties would fill it by forming the next government.
He also blamed Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu for mentioning KCR’s name frequently in his campaign in AP. “Naidu also rouses passions in AP by criticising KCR. He hopes that if he criticises KCR, it will help him in the elections. But the TRS is not contesting in AP.”
Promising that the issues raised by members of the Builders’ Federation would soon be resolved, Rama Rao said the State government would soon confer “conclusive title” on lands.
“If A purchases land from B and it is registered by the sub-registrar and mutation is done by the tahsildar, then the State government will take complete responsibility and defend that title. If C goes to court over the land, the State government will come to the rescue of A,” he explained, adding that people would prefer to purchase lands with clear titles. Telangana would be the first State to do this, he said.
Modi got promotion!
While admitting Munnuru Kapu president Konda Devaiah and others into the TRS at Telangana Bhavan, Rama Rao quipped that Prime Minister Narendra Modi got a promotion from “chai wala” to “chowkidar”. At roadshow in Ghatkesar, he alleged that whenever elections were around the corner, the BJP would remember Lord Rama and talk about Mandir-Masjid.