Sangareddy: Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi has accused Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao of shattering the original dream of Telangana.
Addressing a massive ‘Telangana Praja Garjana’ public meeting at Ambedkar Stadium in Sangareddy on Thursday evening, Rahul Gandhi said people of Telangana demanded statehood to exercise their rights over land, water and other resources. “Telangana movement was run by students and youth as they wanted jobs.
Everyone in Telangana had a pain that they were being deprived of their rights. Congress party and Sonia Gandhi understood their paid and granted statehood for Telangana. It was a historic decision and we had to face lot of criticism and opposition. But has your dream of Telangana fulfilled?” asked Rahul Gandhi.
Stating that the dream of Telangana could not be fulfilled in three years, Rahul Gandhi alleged that the present TRS Government did not make the right beginning to fulfil the dream.
“I want to ask students and farmers whether they fought for Telangana only for one family. Have you created this State only for four people,” he asked while referring to Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao.
Rahul Gandhi recalled that former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had delivered a speech from the same location in 1979. Referring to some pictures which he had seen in the photo exhibition, he said Indira Gandhi provided jobs to one lakh people after winning elections from Medak.
He said Telangana is a land where people face reality and question the mighty. He said Telangana is a land of Makhdoom Mohiuddin who gave famous couplets “Hayat Leke Chalo, Kainat Leke Chalo; Chalo To Zamanay Ko Saath Leke Chalo”.
He asked whether KCR was taking people along. “Is he taking farmers, students, youth, women and backward people or is he taking along only contractors and land mafia,” he said adding that only one family has been exercising all rights of MPs, MLAs and all other elected representatives.
“Was Telangana formed to snatch away rights of all people’s representatives and give entire strength to only family,” he said.
Rahul Gandhi asked whether people would give away all their dreams to four members of a family. “What kind of Telangana is being formed? Is this Bangaru Telangana?” he asked.
The Congress leader said 2,855 farmers have committed suicide in Telangana and they include nearly 100 farmers from Chief Minister’s constituency. “Have they fought for Telangana to turn this new State into farmers’ graveyard?” he asked.
Rahul Gandhi reminded that the previous UPA Government waived off Rs. 70,000 crore of crop loans in a single take across the country.
He said waiver of crop loans is always aimed at opening banks’ door to farmers for fresh loans. However, he said that the crop loan waiver scheme implemented by TRS Government was so faulty that the banks were hesitant to give fresh loans to farmers.
He said farmers’ documents and gold jewellery was still mortgaged with banks and they were still in debts.
“Telangana is the only State where farmers are jailed and handcuffed if they demand remunerative prices for their crops,” Rahul Gandhi said while condemning the Khammam’s incident of handcuffing of accused farmers.
He said farmers went for chilli crops only on the directions of the Chief Minister. However, he said that the prices of chilli, which was being sold for Rs. 12,000 per quintal, fell down to Rs. 3,000 per quintal.
Rahul Gandhi said while Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised to give 2 crore jobs, KCR promised to give one jobs in each household. However, he said both of them failed to honour their promise.
He said the situation was such that not a single job has been a given in a village. He said when the Congress party question the BJP Government in Parliament on creation of jobs, the Union Minister replied saying unemployment rate in the country was highest in the last seven years.
He asked the youth to question both Modi and KCR on their failure to provide jobs. He said TRS and BJP Governments should be asked to open factories to create more jobs. If they fail, the Congress party will provide an answer, he said.
He also announced that after returning to power, the Congress Government will ensure that the phones and other products would carry the mark of “Made in Telangana” and “Made In India”. “We don’t make false promises. We know how to deliver and will do that after returning to power,” he said.
He also criticised the State Government for not implementing the Fee Reimbursement scheme. He said that the scheme was launched by previous Congress Government to help poor students.
But it was stopped by TRS Government. “As against the promise of giving KG to PG free education, the TRS Govt closed down 4,000 schools in the State,” he said.
Rahul Gandhi also accused KCR of making changes to the projects launched during Congress rule. “Projects are being re-designed and new estimates are being prepared so that KCR and his friends could make money,” he said.
He also criticsed KCR for constructing new house (Pragathi Bhavan). Stating that Rs. 350 crore of public money was used for the Chief Minister’s new house, he said no leader in the world would have such a costly house. “This was your money. Not his money or his family’s money.
This money belonged to Telangana’s farmers. It was the same money which was to be paid for Fee Reimbursement. The money was taken out from your pocket and used for constructing KCR’s palatial house,” he said.
Rahul Gandhi criticised both TRS and BJP Governments for not implementing the Land Acquisition Act 2013.
Giving a detailed account of what prompted the previous UPA Government to introduce the legislation, he said farmers were assured adequate compensation along with rehabilitation and resettlement package in the LA Act 2013, he condemned Modi and KCR Governments for their efforts to scrap away the Act.
He said that the Congress party does not run governments on individuals. He said that the party runs the government based on the feedback from all MPs, MLAs, Gram Sarpanch and all other elected representatives.
“We listen to everyone to run the government. We run your government,” he said. Showing at the dais where 160 Congress leaders were seated he said, “This is not one family’s party.
This is Telangana’s party,” he said. He asked TPCC President N. Uttam Kumar Reddy to undertake door-to-door campaign and visit all villages to convey Congress party’s message.
“We will not leave your dream unfilled,” he announced while asking Uttam Kumar Reddy to lead a new movement to realise the real dream of Telalngana.
“I don’t say that the dream of Telangana should have been fulfilled by now. But we should have at least moved in the proper direction. People whom you trusted are taking Telangana in the wrong direction. They are not using your strength. They do not understand your pain or hear your voice,” he said.
He promised that the Congress party would put Telangana on the right track. He said the dreams of all farmers, youth, women and other sections would be realised.
Earlier, Uttam Kumar Reddy, in his speech, listed out the failures of TRS Government in the State during the last three years. He said except KCR family, no one gained from the formation of Telangana State.
Former minister Dr. J. Geetha Reddy and ex-MLA Jagga Reddy also spoke while TPCC Vice-President Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka proposed vote of thanks.
Rahul Gandhi also released a ‘Chargesheet’ on the failures of TRS Government during the last three years.
Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi was accorded a warm reception at Begumpet Airport. Later, he paid floral tributes to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi at his statue at Somajiguda.
He then proceeded to Sangareddy in a massive rally and en-route he waved and met Congress leaders at different locations. (INN)