As PM Modi turns official programme into political mudslinging event, BRS leaders hit back sharply

Bharat Rashtra Samithi reacted strongly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s claims of the Centre being benevolent towards Telangana

Hyderabad: The Bharat Rashtra Samithi on Saturday reacted strongly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s claims of the Centre being benevolent towards Telangana apart from rubbishing his allegations of corruption, dynasty politics and non-cooperation by the Telangana government.

Pointing out how the Centre had repeatedly discriminated towards Telangana, they also asked how Modi could turn an official programme into a political mudslinging event, and also how he could claim the credit for the Hyderabad Metro without batting an eyelid.

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Exposing Modi’s blatant lies in claiming the Centre’s contribution to the Hyderabad Metro, Member of Legislative Council Palla Rajeshwar Reddy said it was the Telangana government that had extended all support to L&T in executing the Metro project and operating it successfully.

Before the BJP came to power, the then union government had contributed marginally to the Hyderabad Metro. In fact, considering the importance of the project, Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao had extended financial support to L&T.

However, Modi was now falsely claiming entire credit for the project, he said, adding that the Centre had in fact refused financial assistance to the second phase of the project, claiming that it was not feasible.

“Despite no role, it is strange that BJP is claiming credit for Hyderabad Metro and MMTS,” Rajeshwar Reddy said, also punching holes in Modi’s claim of the Centre’s largesse for the railway network in Telangana.

The State had requested for 27 railway projects but the Centre had approved only three or four. All these projects just pass through Telangana and were not directly sanctioned as State projects, he said.

Similarly, under road network development plans, which connect different States, the Centre had not sanctioned any road project exclusively for the State, he said.

Leaders including V Srinivas Goud, Talasani Srinivas Yadav and Gangula Kamalakar pointed out how the State had repeatedly requested the Centre for national project status for either Kaleshwaram or Palamuru Rangareddy Lift Irrigation and how the Centre refused the same.

On the Prime Minister’s allegation of projects getting delayed due to lack of cooperation from the State government, they pointed at the Uppal and Amberpet flyovers, which were being executed by the National Highways Authority of India.

Despite the GHMC completing land acquisition for the projects, both were dragging along. They also questioned his statement on corruption, asking how was the BJP-led Centre then heaping awards on Telangana, including for its rural development activities.

They also questioned his silence on the Adani row, asking how could he talk of corruption when he himself was going out of the way to promote Adani’s business interests.

Terming Modi’s allegation that the Telangana government was not cooperating in implementation of Central projects a blatant lie, State Planning Commission Vice Chairman B Vinod Kumar said the Prime Minister was misleading people with false claims and that his government was adopting a biased attitude towards Telangana in providing funds and sanctioning projects.

The Centre had ignored the State’s requests following which several roads and rail projects were still pending and those sanctioned too had not progressed, he said.