Hyderabad: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President Capt. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy promised that the Congress party, if voted to power in next elections, would ensure social justice by giving adequate share in power and resources to all communities.
Addressing a meeting at Prakasam Hall in Gandhi Bhavan premises on the occasion of joining of former naxalite Bheema Bharat of Chevella and other leaders into Congress party on Monday, Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged that caretaker Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao has humiliated Dalits and Girijans on multiple occasions during the four-and-a-half year period of TRS regime. “Malas and Madigas together constitute about 16% of total population. However, KCR has shown utter disrespect for both Malas and Madigas by not giving them any representation in his cabinet,” he said.
Uttam Kumar Reddy said he had seen six Chief Ministers in his political career since 1994. But KCR was the only Chief Minister who has openly cheated SCs, STs, BCs and other communities alike. He said Dalits and Girijans were humiliated by KCR on multiple counts in such a manner as if these communities do not have any importance in Telangana State. “Now the time has come for Dalits and Girijans to avenge humiliated meted out to them by KCR by defeating TRS in next elections,” he said.
Recalling the brutal police torture of Dalits in Sircilla, the Assembly constituency represented by KCR’s son and minister K. Tarakarama Rao, Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged that KCR family was patronising the sand mafia across the State ever since they came to power. The local residents of Sircilla held a protest after a lorry belonging to sand mafia killed a Girijan Bhoomaiah. Consequently, he said the SC, ST and BCs who participated in the dharna were selective picked up by the local police and subjected to third degree torture in nine days of illegal custody. When former Lok Sabha Meira Kumar visited Sircilla and met the families of victims seeking justice, KCR made highly objectionable remarks against her. “Despite lodging a complaint under SC, ST Atrocities Act, no action was taken against the Superintendant of Police or other police officials. Not even an FIR was issued as they enjoyed the full backing by KCR family,” he said adding that the women members of victims of police torture were asked to remain silent and warned they would be booked in prostitution cases if they speak against TRS Government.
Uttam Kumar Reddy said similar treatment was given to ST farmers of Khammam who held protest seeking remunerative prices of their chilli crop. They were implicated in a false case, arrested, chained and hand-cuffed. “There are many more instances wherein KCR Government abused power to harass and intimidate Dalits and Girijans. KCR will throttle democracy if TRS returns to power. He will make the life of every citizen miserable if voted back of power. Therefore, all Dalits, Girijans, BCs, Muslims and weaker sections should crush TRS in next elections if they wish to save democracy. It you remain silent against KCR now, then the history will not forgive you,” he appealed.
Listing out the failures of TRS Government, Uttam Kumar Reddy said KCR had promised to make a Dalit CM. However, he did not give a minister’s post to any Madiga or Mala. Poor SC and ST families were not given promised three acres of land. They were also deprived of double bed room houses. TRS had promised to provide one job for each family. But KCR Government could not give one job even to a village. Instead, he said KCR had given top political posts to five members of his family,” he said.
Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged that KCR and his family were living a lavish lifestyle on public money. While an average family lives in a house of 200 sft-1,000 sft, KCR has constructed a palatial bungalow ‘Pragathi Bhavan’ for his family of 1 lakh sft on 9 acres of land at a cost of Rs. 500 crore. He said KCR was the only Chief Minister in the country who had constructed such a large bungalow for himself using public money. He said people of Telangana should not allow such misuse of public exchequer by one family.
The TPCC chief feared that KCR, in connivance with Prime Minister Narender Modi-led BJP Government at the Centre and Election Commission, has conspired to conduct huge irregularities in next elections. He said deletion of over 21 lakh names from the electoral rolls was part of a larger conspiracy. Therefore, he appealed all to check their names in the voters list by Tuesday (September 25), the last date for revision of electoral rolls.
Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the notification for next elections is likely to be issued in the second week of October and polling could be held on November 24. Therefore, he said all sections of the society, who faced only disappointment during TRS regime, should ensure that KCR is thrown out of power. He reiterated that the next elections would be between ‘4 members of KCR family Vs 4 crore people of Telangana’. “Now the time has come to defeat the arrogant and dictatorial regime of KCR and his family,” he said.
The TPCC chief also explained the promises being made by the Congress for the welfare of various sections of the society.
Welcoming Bheema Bharat and others into the Congress fold, Uttam Kumar Reddy expressed confidence that their entry would strengthen the party in Telangana State. Stating that he had served the country on Pakistan-China borders as a fighter pilot of Indian Air Force (IAF) for several years, he said he would serve the people of Telangana with same dedication for the rest of his life. “I was elected as MLA for four terms from Kodad and Huzurnagar and my wife (Padmavathi) was elected as MLA from Kodad in last elections. We have no children. For us, all Congress members are like our children and we had dedicated our lives to serve people of Telangana,” he announced.
Senior leaders including Ranga Reddy DCC President Kayam Mallesh, Karthik Reddy and other leaders also spoke on the occasion. (INN)