Telangana Chief Minister, A Revanth Reddy, on Wednesday said he was ready to sit on a fast-unto-death in Delhi to demand Central funds for the state if Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) President and former Chief Minister, KC Rao (KCR) joins him in the protest.
Accepting the challenge thrown by BRS leaders KT Rama Rao and Harish Rao in the Assembly during the debate on the discrimination meted out to Telangana by the Centre in the Union Budget, CM Revanth Reddy announced that he was ready for a fast-unto-death with KCR.
“Let KCR, as Leader of Opposition, come forward. I, as the leader of the House, am ready to sit on a fast-unto-death dharna at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. Let us get the funds or sacrifice our lives,” he said and dared BRS leaders to finalise the date for the fast.
The House witnessed heated debate on the resolution moved by the Congress government over the discrimination by the Centre.
Earlier, CM Revanth Reddy and Rama Rao had a sharp exchange of words over the continued absence of KCR in the Assembly.
The Chief Minister questioned KCR’s absence even during the debate on the discrimination meted out to Telangana by the Centre in the Union Budget, triggering a war of words.
CM Revanth Reddy sought to know as to why KCR, who claims to have vast experience, failed to attend the session when the members were discussing the crucial issue to protect the interests of Telangana.
He remarked that KCR might be scared that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would see him attending the session.
Rama Rao, who is KCR’s son, responded by saying that BRS MLAs would be sufficient to reply to the ruling party members.
He also said that the state government must inform the Opposition well in advance on the subjects to be discussed in the House.
“We have not come here in the management quota or by telling the names of father or grandfather. We rose to this level with hard work and commitment,” said the Chief Minister and alleged that the BRS leaders made dark deals in New Delhi and as a result the Centre did grave injustice to Telangana in the Union Budget.
KTR took exception to the Chief Minister’s remark that he had become a minister in ‘management quota’.
“We can also say that you became CM in payment quota,” said the BRS leader.
The BRS leader also asked if Revanth Reddy was referring to Rahul Gandhi when he mentioned ‘father’s quota’.
He asserted that whether ruling or in Opposition, BRS always speaks for Telangana.
“We will give full support to the government on the issue of the state’s interests,” he said and added that there was no need for BRS to seal dark deals or merge with any other party.
Revanth Reddy said that KCR had made a statement that he “does not require any funds from the Centre but PM Modi’s affection is enough.” He said that the people were witnesses of KCR’s comments.
He recalled that the BRS staged a walk out in the Lok Sabha when the Opposition moved a ‘no confidence motion’ against the Modi government in Parliament in 2018.
“Isn’t it true, that BRS Rajya Sabha member, Santosh flew on a special flight and participated in voting in support of the RTI Amendment Act introduced by the Modi government in 2019,” he asked.
The Chief Minister said KCR welcomed the Modi government’s demonetisation policy and his government’s stance was also announced in the Assembly and KCR extolled the Modi government for bringing such a policy.
“Is it not BRS that supported BJP in the election of President and Vice President? The BRS leadership is boasting that the party fought against the Modi government. The fact is that BRS supported BJP’s every decision which included the Triple Talaq Bill, election of Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha and the farm laws,” Revanth Reddy said.
CM Revanth Reddy said that the previous BRS government was responsible for the present economic crisis in Telangana as the BRS government kept bills in every department pending before the party lost power in the Assembly election.
“People gave their verdict after witnessing the BRS’ failures. It is not good on part of BRS to make cheap comments with arrogance. Why have the BRS leaders not changed even after the party drew a blank in Lok Sabha elections. My appeal to the BRS leaders is to change their mindset and come forward to help the state develop,” the CM said.
KTR said that in the united Andhra Pradesh Assembly, the use of the word Telangana was prohibited and now it has been banned in Lok Sabha.
He said that Telangana became a prohibited word in Lok Sabha because of the absence of BRS.
“People are now concerned that 8+8 have brought a big zero situation,” he remarked while targeting both Congress and the BJP.
On Revanth Reddy’s remark of KCR’s friendship with PM Modi, KTR recalled that it was CM Revanth Reddy who had called him ‘bade bhai’.
KTR claimed that despite lack of cooperation from the Centre, the BRS achieved a lot in 10 years.