BJP stages walkout from Telangana Assembly over resolution against Budget

Hyderabad, July 24 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) staged a walkout from Telangana Assembly to protest the passing of a resolution to demand the Centre to do justice to Telangana by amending the proposals of the Union Budget 2024-25. 

BJP floor leader A. Maheshwar Reddy demanded that the government withdraw the resolution, saying it was against the federal spirit.

The BJP, which has eight members in the 119-member Assembly, opposed the resolution and claimed that the Centre had been extending support to Telangana since the formation of the state.

Participating in the debate, Maheshwar Reddy slammed both the ruling Congress and the main opposition BRS.

He argued that the Centre did not accord special category status to Andhra Pradesh to save Telangana from becoming a desert. He said the Centre gave Rs 15,000 crore to Andhra Pradesh without according it special category status. If the Centre had given special category status, Telangana would have turned into a desert. People of Telangana should hail Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said.

He made allegations of corruption against the Congress government.

The BJP leader alleged that by inflating the cost of Musi Riverfront development project to Rs 1.50 lakh crore, the Congress government was trying to turn it into an ATM.

The Congress government is trying to loot public money in the name of Musi River project like the previous BRS government looted the public money in the name of Kaleshwaram.

He alleged that Rs 3,500 crore given by the Centre for drinking water under the 'Amrit' scheme was misused.

Maheshwar Reddy said that Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has no money for Rythu Bandhu scheme, but he has given Rs 5,000 crore to his constituency, Kodangal.

Congress members took strong exception to the allegations made by the BJP leader and asked him to clarify if his party wants justice for Telangana or not.

The House passed the resolution after a day-long debate and in the absence of BJP members, who staged a walkout while demanding that the Congress government withdraw the resolution.

Main opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and the Communist Party of India (CPI) supported the resolution.

The Assembly witnessed heated debate on the resolution alleging discrimination by the Centre towards Telangana in the union budget presented in the Parliament on Tuesday.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy also announced that the state government will boycott the NITI Aayog meeting scheduled to be held on July 27.

He alleged that the Centre undermined Telangana's rights and did injustice to the state in the allocation of funds.

--IANS

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