Whoever questions Centre is branded anti-national: Telangana CM

Hyderabad, Nov 8 (IANS) Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar on Monday said whoever questions the BJP get branded anti-national or has to face raids by Income Tax, Enforcement Directorate or other agencies.

He reacted sharply to state BJP President Bandi Sanjay terming him anti-national.

"Can I be called an anti-national for demanding the BJP government at the Centre to protect the borders amid reports of encroachments by neighbouring country," he asked.

"I was not anti-national when we extended support for the President's election and for passing various Bills in the Parliament," he asked.

KCR, as the Chief Minister is popularly known, said whoever questions the Central government is dubbed as anti-national and various agencies are used against him. He alleged that this has been the style of BJP for last seven years.

"Is BJP a factory of anti-nationals," he asked and remarked that BJP leaders "stamp" those questioning them as either "anti-national" or "urban naxalites".

Earlier, alleging that KCR made certain comments supporting China and demoralising and insulting soldiers on the Indo-China border, Sanjay had termed him anti-national and demanded that he resign or apologise to the nation. The BJP leader had even alleged that KCR was speaking in support of China as he had made investments in that country.

KCR ridiculed the allegation and said he was not the one to get scared by the threats of BJP leaders.

He stated that the BJP cannot do anything to him as he or his government was not involving into any irregularities. "We have no industries nor did we indulge in cases like money laundering," he said adding that they were ready for any inquiry.

For a second consecutive day, the Chief Minister addressed a news conference to slam the Centre for not procuring paddy from the state and for demanding the state to cut down prices of petrol and diesel.

The Chief Minister announced that Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) will stage dharnas in all constituency headquarters in the state on November 12 to mount pressure on the Centre to purchase paddy from the farmers.

The TRS chief said he was committed to fight for the cause of Telangana farmers till the last breath.

He also made it clear that state was seeking its due and that the Centre was not doling out any largesse on Telangana.

KCR asked Bandi Sanjay to respond clearly if he would ask the Centre to procure paddy or not. He made it clear that he would not leave the BJP and expose it on every issue.

He reiterated his request to the farmers to not to go for paddy cultivation without any assurance from Centre that it will purchase it. He said farmers should question the BJP leaders on whether the Centre will purchase their produce or not.

KCR also demanded that the Centre withdraw cess on diesel and petrol to provide relief to common man instead of asking the state to cut Value Added Tax (VAT).

He said it was the Centre which hiked the prices of fuel many times and also started collecting cess.

KCR claimed that if the Centre withdraws cess, the price of diesel and petrol can come down to Rs 69 and Rs 77 per litre.

He also announced that his government will release employment calendar every year and will fill the vacant posts in the coming days.