BRS's KTR alleges rampant corruption in Telangana, citing that even ruling Congress MLAs are now publicly raising these issues. He accused the state of being an 'ATM for AICC' and demanded impartial investigation by Central agencies.

'Ruling party MLAs themselves questioning govt': KTR

BRS working president K T Rama Rao (KTR) on Saturday alleged that corruption and irregularities in Telangana were no longer being highlighted only by Opposition parties but were now being raised publicly by legislators belonging to the ruling Congress itself.

Speaking to reporters at here, KTR said he fully agreed with the remarks made by Congress MLA Komatireddy Raj Gopal Reddy. He said the fact that a legislator from the ruling party had publicly raised allegations against the government and its senior leadership reflected the seriousness of the situation in the State.

According to the official statement, KTR said the Congress government had long dismissed allegations of corruption raised by the BRS as political criticism. However, he said, the situation had changed with ruling-party MLAs themselves questioning the functioning of the government. According to KTR, such statements from members of the ruling party could not simply be dismissed as Opposition propaganda.

KTR demands impartial probe by Central agencies

KTR alleged that Telangana had been turned into an "ATM for the AICC" and recalled that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also made similar political allegations during his visits to the State. He questioned why the Centre had not initiated action if allegations of this nature were being made even at the level of the Prime Minister.

"Merely making allegations during elections or on political platforms will not help the people," KTR said, demanding that Central investigating agencies conduct impartial inquiries wherever there was prima facie material and place the facts before the public. He said investigative agencies should function independently, transparently and strictly according to law, without political considerations. If allegations were found to be true, appropriate legal action should follow, he added.

KTR also referred to Enforcement Directorate searches conducted earlier in connection with Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and questioned what action had subsequently been taken and what stage the investigation had reached. He demanded greater transparency from Central agencies and said their credibility depended on treating allegations against people across political parties in the same manner.

Criticism over welfare delivery

Turning his attention to welfare delivery, KTR criticised the Congress government for what he described as excessive conditions imposed on poor people seeking government assistance for housing. He alleged that an ordinary poor family seeking assistance of ₹5 lakh to ₹6 lakh for construction of a house was being required to comply with numerous conditions and procedures, forcing beneficiaries to run from pillar to post.

At the same time, he alleged, serious corruption allegations involving those in positions of power were being raised by members of the ruling party itself. KTR said in an official statement that a government could not claim to be people-oriented if poor citizens faced difficulties in accessing relatively modest welfare assistance while allegations involving large sums of public money continued to dominate political debate.

KTR targets CM Revanth Reddy

He also criticised Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy over his repeated assertion that he works for 18 hours a day. KTR alleged that the Chief Minister's long working hours were not being devoted to the interests of Telangana but to the benefit of his family members, relatives and political followers.

"The Chief Minister says he is working 18 hours a day and asks people to vote for him. But he is not working those 18 hours for Telangana," KTR said. He alleged that questions were being raised over land, contracts, public funds and other benefits allegedly reaching members of the Chief Minister's family and close circle.

KTR said the Chief Minister should answer the people about whose interests were actually being protected under the present administration. KTR further alleged that the State's wealth, land resources, government contracts and public funds should be used for the benefit of Telangana's people rather than for individuals associated with those in power. He demanded impartial investigations into all such allegations.

Alleges weakening of BRS-era welfare schemes

The BRS working president also accused the Congress government of weakening welfare schemes introduced during the previous BRS regime. He alleged that KCR Kit had been discontinued, Kalyana Lakshmi weakened, Shaadi Mubarak sidelined and Rythu Bima neglected.

KTR said these programmes had been designed to provide direct support to women, children, farmers and economically weaker sections and argued that discontinuing or weakening them would affect vulnerable sections of society.

Focus on Kalyana Lakshmi scheme

He particularly targeted the Congress government over Kalyana Lakshmi, alleging that there was an attempt to discontinue the scheme under the cover of a High Court judgment. KTR said Kalyana Lakshmi was more than a financial assistance programme. According to him, the scheme had provided support to poor families at the time of their daughters' marriages and had contributed to changing perceptions about the economic burden associated with raising a girl child.

He recalled that the Congress party had promised during the election campaign to provide one tola of gold in addition to Kalyana Lakshmi assistance. After coming to power, however, the government had allegedly failed to strengthen the scheme and had instead allowed questions to arise over its continuation, KTR said.

He maintained that Kalyana Lakshmi had given poor families greater confidence and had become an important welfare measure for women across Telangana. KTR alleged that the Congress government was systematically weakening several schemes associated with the previous BRS administration instead of ensuring their continuity and improving their implementation. He said the government should focus on the welfare of poor people, farmers, women and students rather than allowing political considerations to determine which welfare programmes continued.

On NALSAR students' protest

KTR also spoke about the recent developments involving students of NALSAR. He said students in a democracy had the right to raise their voice when they believed their dignity or self-respect had been affected.

He expressed solidarity with NALSAR students who, he said, had stood up for their rights and dignity, and welcomed what he described as recognition of the special relationship between students and the judiciary. KTR said institutions must function within the limits of their authority and cautioned against any alleged misuse of power. He called upon officials and institutions to ensure that such incidents were not repeated.

According to KTR, young people should have the freedom to question those in authority. Rather than suppressing students who raise questions, governments and institutions should respond to their concerns through democratic and lawful processes.

'Fulfil electoral promises'

KTR concluded by calling upon the Congress government to review its performance on corruption allegations, welfare delivery, implementation of government schemes and the concerns of the youth. He demanded that the government fulfil its electoral promises, protect welfare programmes and ensure impartial investigations wherever allegations of corruption had been made. The BRS leader warned that if, in his view, the government continued to prioritise political and family interests over the concerns of the people, the electorate would respond at the appropriate time. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)