Bhainsa, Kamareddy, Hyderabad: Congress president Rahul Gandhi targeted TRS president and caretaker Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at massive public meetings at Bhainsa and Kamareddy, and at the Sadbhavana Yatra at Charminar, kicking off the party’s campaign for the December 7 Assembly polls on Saturday.
Promising Naya Telangana, Mr Gandhi alleged that Mr Rao had destroyed the dreams of the people. He also took potshots at the MIM, alleging that the party was supporting the BJP.
Mr Gandhi said Mr Rao and Mr Modi had many similarities in their rule. He said both had “cheated the people” with their “lies and false promises.” Both had indulged in corrupt activities, he claimed.
He said Mr Rao had indulged in corruption in the name of redesigning irrigation projects while Mr Modi had altered the deal to purchase Rafale fighter jets. “KCR has destroyed the dreams of the people. Under TRS rule, only KCR’s family benefited and not the people,” Mr Gandhi said. He painted Mr Rao as being against the rights of Adivasis, Dalits, BCs and minorities.
He alleged that the TRS government had insulted Dr B.R. Ambedkar by stopping the construction of the Dr B.R, Ambedkar Srujala Sravanthi and redesigning and renaming it after Kaleshwaram. “Why was it made into a Rs 1 lakh crore (project)? Because the Chief Minister wants to indulge in corruption,” he alleged.
He said Mr Rao do not like Dr Ambedkar’s name and had therefore renamed the project. He alleged that the TRS government had indulged in corruption in the name of redesigning of irrigation projects such as Indirasagar.
Huge crowds turned up to hear Mr Rahul Gandhi. More than one lakh people turned up for the meeting at Kamareddy, which was organised by Mr Shabbir Ali, and police disallowed entry after Mr Gandhi took the stage. When they were allowed inside on a request by TPCC president Uttam Kumar Reddy, they rushed inside the grounds and even occupied seats in the VIP galleries.
Training his guns on the BJP, Mr Gandhi said Mr Modi had promised to be the chowkidar of the people but he had only safetuarded the Ambanis, Mallyas and other affluent sections.
He said if the Congress was voted to power, there would be no family rule and the party would create a people’s government. He promised to waive Rs 2 lakh farmer loans at one go, provide unemployement dole and fill 1 lakh government vacancies. He also promised Rs 7,000 minimum support price for cotton, and opening of the Nizam Sugar factory.
“I am not here to tell lies like KCR and Modi. I always stand on my words. If you want lies and fake promises you can go to KCR’s and Modi’s meetings,” Mr Gandhi said.
He alleged both Mr Rao and Mr Modi had failed to keep the promises given to the people. He cited the examples of double bedroom houses, 3 acres land to SC and ST families in the state, water to every household in the state and free KG to PG education. Mr Modi had promised to deposit Rs 15 lakh in the bank account of every poor person in the state and create two crore jobs, he said.
Mr Modi had promised to bring back money hoarded abroad but had only helped his friends covert their stash into legal money. He described demonetisation as “madness” but was supported by Mr Rao though it was criticsed everywhere. He said both Mr Rao and the MIM had supported Mr Modi because this decision. He claimed demonetisation was done to support a few rich families but had resulted in small and medium traders getting affected.
He said there were two ideologies — one which inculcated revulsion while the other was based on love and affection. “BJP is spreading hatred and creating an atmosphere of fear all over the country. Today, women are scared to come out from their houses,” he claimed.
He asked why the MIM was supporting Mr Rao who is the friend of Mr Modi. Because they have the same ideology of hatred, the MIM, Mr Rao and Mr Modi are one and the same, he said.
He said Mr Rao had spent Rs 300 crore to build his house but had not built houses for the poor. At Kamareddy, he said Mr Rao had converted the state into a “kingdom” for his family. Telangana was formed for water, funds and jobs but Mr Rao had performed neither.
