HYDERABAD: Union Coal and Mines Minister and state BJP president G Kishan Reddy on Tuesday accused the Telangana government of relying on revenue from land and liquor sales to run the administration.
Alleging that the Revanth Reddy government violated the Forest (Conservation) Act, he wondered why trees in the University of Hyderabad (UoH) were cut down without permission from the GHMC while one cannot chop a tree in one’s own house without approval from a competent authority.
In an informal chat with the media at the state BJP office here, Kishan asserted that no BJP-run state sells lands.
Responding to a query on appointment of a new BJP state chief, he said in a lighter vein that the media seems to be more eager than the party itself and added that all the party programmes and activities are being carried out in a comprehensive manner.
Kishan, meanwhile, clarified that the Modi government has not made any decision on the issue of delimitation of Lok Sabha/Assembly segments. “Why would we make an anti-South decision when we want to strengthen the BJP in the South?” he wondered and maintained that the saffron party would gain nothing immediately if the Telangana government were to collapse.
He expressed confidence that the people of Telangana will give a clear verdict in the upcoming local body elections.
On the issue of Congress’ demand for enhancing BC reservations, he said that the BJP would take its own independent decisions at the right time.
Regarding the Waqf Act, he accused certain people of supporting the land mafia under the guise of opposing the Act. He clarified that the Waqf Act aims to deliver justice to poor Muslims. Expressing confidence in the BJP winning the upcoming local body elections in Hyderabad, he said that the party will reach out to voters of all backgrounds and seek their support.
‘Cong, BRS backing AIMIM’
The Union minister also claimed that the AIMIM, which was once limited to the Old City, is now expanding into areas like Erragadda and Borabanda. He accused the Congress and BRS of supporting this expansion.
Dismissing claims of Prime Minister Narendra Modi making some negative remarks about UoH as “baseless”, he asked: “Who would ever oppose development?”
Pointing out that flyovers in Amberpet, BHEL and Shamshabad were completed during his tenure as Union minister, he announced plans to get them inaugurated by Union minister Nitin Gadkari.
Reacting to Revanth’s comment on the Congress “brand” of politics, Kishan said that the people will decide in the next election what kind of “brand” the former represents. “My brand is nationalism,” he added.
He emphasised that both the Union and state governments use taxpayers’ money, not personal funds, to provide benefits to the public. He concluded by stating that the Centre gives funds to state-initiated projects as needed, but there are no surplus funds lying idle with the Union government.