HYDERABAD: Alleging that the BRS and BJP jointly looted Rs 1 lakh crore in the Kaleshwaram project, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said that every family of Telangana has to pay Rs 31,500 per year until 2040 to clear the debt incurred by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.
Alleging that the piers of Medigadda barrage have been badly damaged and are caving in as a result of corruption, he sought to know why projects like Nagarjunasagar, Singur, Sriram Sagar and others constructed during Congress rule were not sinking.
Rahul was addressing ‘Praja Bheri’, a public meeting, at Kollapur which was attended by TPCC chief A Revanth Reddy, CLP leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, AICC Telangana in-charge Manikrao Thakre and the Congress candidates for constituencies in the erstwhile Mahbubnagar district.
Priyanka Gandhi was scheduled to address the public meeting, but her ill health resulted in Rahul turning up to fulfil the commitment made by his sister.
Due to the sudden change of plans, Rahul reached Shamshabad airport in the evening and took the risk of flying to Kollapur in a helicopter in the dark.
“I chose to be here instead of attending the CEC meeting. As I said earlier, our relationship is not just political but familial,” the Congress MP said.
Speaking at the public meeting, TPCC chief A Revanth Reddy said that although the pilot warned them against flying after the scheduled time as the light was failing, Rahul told him that he was willing to take the risk.
“Rahul took the utmost risk to reach here. The pilot told him he couldn’t fly the chopper but Rahul’s unwavering commitment brought him here,” Revanth said.
‘Poll to be a battle between “Dorala TS” & “Prajala TS’
Reiterating that this election was a battle between “Dorala Telangana” and “Prajala Telangana”, Rahul said that there were two significant betrayals in “Dorala Telangana”. “The first is the Kaleshwaram project, where BJP and BRS have syphoned off Rs 1 lakh crore from the people of Telangana. The second betrayal is the land issue. Congress’ ‘Prajala Telangana’ had granted lands to Dalits, tribals and BCs, but KCR’s ‘Dorala Telangana’ revoked them under the garb of computerisation, and introduced the Dharani portal to snatch away the lands,” he said
Exuding confidence that the Congress will defeat the BRS in the state and the BJP at the Centre, the MP said, “On one side, it’s KCR and his family, and on the other, we stand with the people of Telangana -- the mothers, sisters and the unemployed youth.”
He also said that a vote for the BJP and AIMIM would go to waste and would only help the BRS. Targeting the chief minister, Rahul said that the key portfolios such as land administration and revenue, sand and liquor remained under the control of the Kalvakuntla family to exploit Telangana. “Sonia Gandhi gave Telangana believing the fruits of a separate state would reach the downtrodden, Adivasis, Dalit and other backward sections of society, but one family is enjoying them,” he said.
Promising to fulfil the six guarantees in the “Prajala Telangana” government if the Congress was voted to power, the Wayanad MP said that the people of the region had given their blood and led a revolutionary fight to achieve Telangana. He added that the dreams and aspirations of Telangana society will be fulfilled after elections.
“The amount of money KCR has looted from the people of Telangana will be given back to the people of Telangana by Congress,” Rahul assured. Expressing his gratitude to Congress workers, he told them that their time has come as the party will soon be forming the next government in the state.
Responding to KCR allegations that a Congress worker attacked BRS MP Kotha Prabhakar Reddy, Revanth said, “If Congress workers start attacking the ruling party, neither you (KCR) nor your family members would be able to venture onto the roads. We believe in non-violence and our leaders sacrifice their lives for the country.”