Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Thursday launched an all-out attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi while celebrating the state’s eighth anniversary in Hyderabad. Rao paid homage to several martyrs who gave their lives for the state, after hoisting the national flag on Telangana Formation Day celebrations.
While highlighting several reforms undertaken by his government, he pointed out that Telangana’s progress was not stunted even after Modi government’s concerted efforts to financially weaken the states. Rao also pointed out that after 75 years of India’s independence, when the decentralisation of powers doesn’t occur, then authoritarian tendencies rise as power becomes more concentrated at the Centre.
“The government currently in power at the Centre is based on the conspiratorial, frivolous doctrine of ‘strong Centre – weak states’. That is why the violation of the rights of the states culminated in the reign of this government,” said the Telangana CM while speaking at a state government programme, which was held to celebrate Telangana’s eight anniversary, in Hyderabad.
Rao further claimed that the Centre was trying the financially weaken the states and urged the Centre to lift the sanctions that are severely deterring the economic progress of the states. “I demand that the Centre immediately reconsider and lift the economic sanctions imposed on the states and stop any further violation of the rights of the states,” said Rao, as reported by The Indian Express.
“The Centre’s attitude towards Telangana state, which is working with financial discipline and prudence and well within the FRBM (Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management) limits, is creating a major problem,” the chief minister added.
Rao even alleged that his state was incurring huge losses as it refused to implement Centre’s “anti-farmer power reforms”. “Telangana state is losing Rs 5,000 crore every year as it refused to implement the anti-farmer power reforms of the Centre. In five years, the state lost Rs 25,000 crore. If we want this Rs 25,000 crore, we have to install meters at the farmer’s well and collect the power charges. That is not our policy. The state is not ready to accept any policy that creates a burden on the farmer. I will not accept these anti-farmer power reforms as long as I am alive. People’s welfare in the state is very important to me,” Rao added.
Stressing that the country needs qualitative change, no matter whoever comes to power at the Centre, Rao said, “It is not important who will come to power at the Centre every five years. It is not about one Front replacing another at the Centre. What we need is a progressive agenda, which can steer the country away from its problems. The country needs a new destination. There should be a meaningful and practical change in the lives of people. There should be a qualitative change in the country.”
Speaking about the rise of politics of hate and division in the country, Rao said that the country has gone back 100 years as a result, and it would take another 100 years for India to recover. “There is no other discussion or debate in the country other than the religious madness. People’s needs took backstage. It is dangerous to gain political advantage out of communal clashes. If destructive elements are allowed to have their say, the unity of the country will suffer. If the same violence continues, there will not be any international investment,” he said, adding that it will also prove detrimental to the NRIs living abroad, he said while adding, “If the country is witnessing on a daily basis, wielding of swords, communal fights, violence at the cost of the country, responsible people would not keep quiet. People in this country need jobs, employment, projects, water, and power.”