Kishan slams KCR for ‘BJP will turn India into Afghanistan’ comments

Hyderabad: Union minister G. Kishan Reddy on Saturday denounced Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao for the latter’s comments that the BJP government in the country will turn India into another Afghanistan under Taliban rule.

Addressing a press conference, Reddy said, “Rao’s comments must be condemned by every Indian. It has become a habit for the Kalvakuntla family to insult the country and besmirch its image in the world.”

He said, “The Kalvakuntla family insults our soldiers, our country and compares our economy to that of Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Anyone with even minimal intelligence and understanding knows that India has been peaceful, thanks to the Narendra Modi government. There are no terror explosions and no religious conflicts.  Around 50, 000 children went around Dal Lake in Kashmir carrying the national flag. Does this show India is turning into Afghanistan?”

Pouring scorn on Chandrashekar Rao, who under the Bharat Rashtra Samithi banner wants to become Prime Minister, Reddy said mocked the Telangana Chief Minister saying, “The country certainly needs a PM who will not go to his office, will not meet people, and will have a cabinet without a woman member.”

The Union minister chided minister K.T. Rama Rao for his recent comments that he, Kishan Reddy, had distributed ‘Kurkure packets’ and tried to pass it off as development of his Secunderabad Lok Sabha constituency.

“These snacks were provided by the manufacturer during the Covid lockdown for distribution in orphanages. KTR’s comments are an insult to orphans in Telangana. He speaks without responsibility or honour. People thought here is an educated man, he will bring good politics, but he is proving worse than his father,” the Union minister said.

He added, “We came up in politics from the ground level, did not rise under the shadow of our fathers or relatives like Rama Rao has. A person like him also has no business commenting on Prime Minister Modi.”

Reddy said that he and Kaushal Kishore, the Union minister of state for housing and urban development, will on January 20 hand over appointment letters to those selected for jobs in Central government departments in Telangana.

The Prime Minister will start the programme virtually. It is part of BJP government’s assurance to fill up 10 lakh posts in the central government and its agencies before Independence Day. So far, 1.5 lakh vacancies have been filled, and every month close to 90,000 vacancies will be filled, Reddy said.

He also expressed disappointment that the Telangana government is yet to fully implement Ayushman Bharat in the state as there is little evidence that the scheme is functional at the ground level.

Centre’s health push in Telangana

> 4,549 health and wellness centres given to state, called basti dawakhanas, PHCs, UHCs, sub-health centres;

> Rs 5,550 crore given since 2014 under National Health Mission

> 175 PM Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana generic medical shops set up

> Rs 146 crore for TB-free programmes;

> 50 oxygen plants in hospitala;

> 31.2 lakh toilets built under Swachh Bharat