HYDERABAD: Accepting the challenge of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on the work done in the past 7.5 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rule, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy on Tuesday agreed to a public debate at the Martyrs Memorial in the presence of senior journalists — provided the Chief Minister doesn’t use objectionable language.
Addressing media persons at the BJP party office at Nampally on Tuesday, Kishan condemned Rao for raising suspicion about the surgical strikes in Uri during his press meet on Sunday. Claiming that the people’s trust in the NDA government itself was proof, the Union Minister reminded that the Pakistan government and even terrorist organisations had confirmed the attack on their soil.
Counting Rao point by point, Kishan said that there was an increase in budget spending this year compared to last year in contrast to what the Chief Minister claimed.He categorically stated that the Centre has not impressed upon any State to fit meters to agricultural connections and that the propaganda of the Chief Minister was deceptive.
Saying that it was the TRS supremo’s Constitutional right, Kishan invited Rao to float a national party, but wondered what kind of qualitative change would such a move make.
“Not visiting the Secretariat, having no Secretariat, having no woman in the Cabinet for five years, promoting dynastic politics, not having a dialogue with representatives of the opposition and unions, not standing up to his words, suppressing dissent and protests, is this the kind of qualitative change KCR wants to bring about?” Kishan wondered.
BJP State president Bandi Sanjay Kumar alleged that tribal university and reservations for STs were being delayed due to the State government. On the occasion of Sevalal Maharaj Jayanti celebrations held at the party office, he stressed that BJP was against religious reservations.
“If the State government had passed a resolution on increasing reservations for the STs and sent to the Centre we would have accepted it. But they linked ST reservations with reservations for Muslims, which is religious reservation which the party is against,” Sanjay said.