HYDERABAD: Appealing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to open the doors of Parliament to the youth, Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy will leave for Delhi on Monday to submit a note to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi proposing that the minimum age for contesting Assembly and Lok Sabha elections be reduced from the current 25 years to 21 years.
During an informal interaction with the media here on Sunday, Revanth Reddy said he would meet Rahul Gandhi and AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge to present his proposal, arguing that Gen Z should be allowed to make laws.
His proposal comes in the wake of the agitation by youths at Jantar Mantar in Delhi over the alleged NEET question paper leak.
"I will put forward my proposal before the INDIA Bloc leaders. Let us see whether they will introduce a private member's Bill," Revanth Reddy said.
He reiterated that a resolution to this effect would be adopted during the joint session of the State Legislature in the first week of August and sent to the Central government. He also remarked that August would be considered a miracle month for the country.
Revanth Reddy urged the Central government to take up his proposal to reduce the minimum age for contesting elections along with the proposed Delimitation Bill, the increase in the number of Lok Sabha seats and the Women's Reservation Bill.
"Let us discuss all the four issues in the Parliament at one go," Revanth Reddy suggested to the Prime Minister.
Stating that "Gen G Raj" currently prevailed in the country, the Chief Minister stressed the need to bring young people, the future of the country, into the political mainstream. He recalled that during Rajiv Gandhi's tenure, the voting age was reduced from 21 to 18 years.
"If Prime Minister Narendra Modi did it, his name and work would be remembered," Revanth Reddy said.
The Chief Minister, however, alleged that PM Modi was not listening to the voice of the youth.
"Modi would use radio for his Mann Ki Baat programme. Like a radio, Modi talks but does not listen," Revanth Reddy quipped.
He suggested that, if necessary, the Prime Minister could refer the proposal to reduce the minimum contesting age to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) and hold discussions with stakeholders.
"The slogan now is Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan and Jai Yuva," Revanth Reddy said.
Referring to the agitation at Jantar Mantar and the subsequent lathi charge, Revanth Reddy echoed Rahul Gandhi's views and demanded that Union Home Minister Amit Shah take responsibility for what had happened during the protest.
When asked whether he was demanding Amit Shah's resignation, Revanth Reddy said, "Let us see what discussion would take place in the Parliament and how the Opposition parties would react."
Revanth Reddy recalled that he had invited ISB students to join the Chief Minister's Office and offer suggestions for improving education and employment opportunities for young people.
He pointed out that education was on the Concurrent List but said the Central government had later introduced NEET.
"When they want power, they should also take responsibility," Revanth Reddy said, while calling for a debate on NEET in the Lok Sabha.
Asked whether the Congress had lagged behind during the Delhi agitation, with CJP taking centre stage, Revanth Reddy said the Congress had deliberately allowed the youth to lead the protest.
"If the Congress took the lead, then Modi might have criticised that the Congress was behind the agitation," Revanth Reddy said.
"We have seen money power, muscle power and manpower. But, youth power is the power in the country," he added.
On the alleged irregularities in the conduct of Intermediate and other examinations, Revanth Reddy said around 27 Intermediate students died by suicide during the BRS regime in 2019.
"But, the BRS government closed the FIR. Now, we have to take a second complaint to investigate. That is why we have asked the Vigilance wing to probe the matter based on a complaint received from an MLC. We will take legal opinion on how to reopen the case," the Chief Minister said.
Revanth Reddy asked BRS working president KT Rama Rao to explain why the cases were closed in the Globarena issue, why the company was not blacklisted and why criminal cases were not registered against the firm.
The Chief Minister, however, said he would follow due process in dealing with every case.
"We have referred the Kaleshwaram and power purchase issues to the CBI. After the investigation, the Formula E Race case is now before the court. I cannot take any decisions against the Opposition overnight and will strictly follow the system. I believe in the system," the Chief Minister said.
When asked to describe the youth agitation in Delhi, recalling that he too had entered politics at a young age, Revanth Reddy remarked, "People below 30 are 'Garam', those below 50 are 'Naram' and those between 50 and 75 are 'Besharam'."
Asserting that the Congress would retain power in the 2029 Assembly elections, Revanth Reddy said, "2029 will be mine. Let the BRS and BJP decide who will be in the second position."
Dismissing KT Rama Rao's claim that the Congress' internal surveys predicted a BRS victory, Revanth Reddy quipped, "When did KTR become our PRO? There is no survey at all. I am saying, based on the election results, that the Congress would retain power in 2029."
"In the 2023 Assembly elections, the Congress got 39.5% vote share, whereas the BRS got 37.5%. The gap was two per cent. In the Lok Sabha polls, the Congress got 40% votes. The BJP got 37% and the BRS got 15%. In the municipal elections, the gap between the Congress and the BRS widened by 12%. The Congress won the Secunderabad Cantonment byelection by a majority of 15,000 votes. The Congress lost the Jubilee Hills seat in the 2023 elections by a margin of 25,000 votes. Later, the Congress won the same seat by a margin of 25,000 votes. The Congress won 67% of Gram Panchayats and 80% of municipalities."
On the Bahadurpura land controversy, Revanth Reddy alleged that several BRS leaders had purchased land there.
Responding to allegations regarding the quality of materials supplied to school students, Revanth Reddy asked BRS leader RS Praveen Kumar to submit a formal complaint so that the government could order an inquiry into purchases made for Gurukul schools between 2014 and 2023.