Revanth Reddy dares BRS, BJP for debate on performance of Congress government

Hyderabad, Feb 21 (IANS) Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Friday dared Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) President K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) and Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy for a debate on the performance of the Congress government in the state during the last 12 months.

Addressing a public meeting at Narayanpet, he slammed both BRS and BJP leaders for their allegation that Congress has done nothing in 12 months.

"Let us have a debate on the performance of 10 years of BRS rule in the state, 11 years of BJP rule at the Centre, and 12 months of our government,” he said and also invited BRS leader K.T. Rama Rao and BJP leader and Union Minister of State Bandi Sanjay to join the debate.

He asked the BRS to explain why irrigation facilities have not been provided in Palamuru (united Mahabubnagar district) for 10 years and questioned KCR why he failed to complete the Palamuru-Rangareddy project for 10 years.

He accused BRS of creating hurdles in the efforts of the Congress government to complete the irrigation projects in Palamuru to check migration.

He alleged that KCR during his term as the Chief Minister helped Andhra Pradesh divert Krishna river water to Rayalaseema. "Were you not a mute spectator when Jagan Mohan Reddy was diverting water to Rayalaseema," he questioned.

Revanth Reddy said the failures of KCR were haunting the state now. He recalled that KCR and his nephew Harish Rao were irrigation ministers for 10 years.

He remarked that water was diverted to Rayalaseema while funds were diverted to the KCR family.

On KCR’s remark that when he hits his rivals, he hits hard, the Chief Minister said if KCR wants to hit someone, he should hit his son, daughter or son-in-law. "If you want to hit Congress, our party cadres will not keep quiet," he said.

Dismissing the BRS allegation that the Congress has done nothing during the last 12 months, he said immediately after coming to power, it provided 55,000 jobs to the unemployed. Amma Adarsha pathashalas have been handed over to women to encourage them. Women were made owners of 600 buses in the Road Transport Corporation.

The government launched development works worth Rs.5,000 crore in Kodangal and Rs.1,000 crore in Narayanpet, he added.

The government is giving 5 lakh Indiramma Indlu houses every year, the CM said, claiming that the scheme will give dignity to the poor.

Revanth Reddy said the government was constructing 3,500 houses in each Assembly constituency under the Indiramma Indlu scheme.

He also dared the BRS to accept the challenge that Congress will contest coming local body elections in those villages where Indiramma houses have been built while BRS should contest only in those villages where its government had given double-bedroom houses.

He claimed that for the first time in the country, Telangana conducted a caste census. "We have resolved the issue of sub-categorisation of scheduled castes which was hanging fire for 30 years. Can’t KCR see all these works," he asked.

Revanth Reddy asked what happened to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s promise to credit black money in the bank accounts of the poor. He alleged that farmers were betrayed after making the promise to double their income. “He had promised that every poor will be given a house by 2022. Let him show where was this given," he asked.

“He promised that two crore jobs will be given every year. Except Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay, who in Telangana was given a job?" he asked.