HYDERABAD: Alleging that Telangana has become a slave in the hands of one family, Union Minister for Tourism and Culture G Kishan Reddy on Friday said that the State which was achieved after waging many struggles, has been turned into a corrupt one where people were being cheated in every possible way.
He was speaking at a public meeting after hoisting the national flag and receiving a guard of honour during the decennial Telangana Formation Day celebrations held at Golconda Fort. During the celebrations, the Union Minister touched the feet of the parents of Telangana martyrs and felicitated them.
In his vitriolic diatribe, he said that the BRS government pushed the State into a debt crisis, and was so desperate that it was ready to take loans from any part of the world if there was a lender. “Debts are supposed to be taken for development and welfare of the people, but the BRS government has taken lakhs of crores and has siphoned off thousands of crores out of it by corrupt means,” he alleged, adding that on the other hand, farmers were unable to receive crop loans from the banks and dying by suicides as there was no way they could free themselves from debts.
While the traitors of Telangana were given plum posts in the BRS government, the voices which were questioning the government were being silenced by foisting false cases against journalists and social activists, he said.“What are we supposed to feel proud of after achieving Telangana? Corruption in every field, arrogance of power, dictatorship, atrocities, and family rule?” he asked.
“Bloating the budget and recklessly accumulating debt have become the hallmark of this government. Yet, the State government does not have funds to pay salaries on time. The State’s revenue is just enough to pay interest for the debts. In such circumstances how can the State be developed?” he wondered.
Aspiring for people’s rule
Responding to BRS’ claim that the Centre did nothing for Telangana, he cited several schemes, projects and initiatives including subsidies on fertilisers, Kisan Samman Nidhi, 5 kg free rice to the poor, national highways and regional ring road, new railway projects, Vande Bharat train among others.
He claimed that it was only due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Telangana, just like several other States, was able to attract foreign investments, and reminded that much before the formation of Telangana, Hyderabad was well developed.
He inaugurated a two-day photo exhibition on the “nine-year rule of Prime Minister Narendra Modi” which was organised by the regional office of the Central Bureau of Communication (CBC) at the fort.BJP State president Bandi Sanjay, MP Dharmapuri Arvind, MLA Eatala Rajender, former MP G Vivek Venkatswamy and others attended the event.