Attempts at communal divide diverting focus from development: KTR

Hyderabad: IT Minister KT Rama Rao on Saturday took strong objection to attempts by certain political elements to foment communal trouble and said such attempts were diverting focus from the path of development. Launching the competitive examination study material prepared by Dr. BR Ambedkar Open University here, the Minister said no religion called for fighting […]

Hyderabad: IT Minister KT Rama Rao on Saturday took strong objection to attempts by certain political elements to foment communal trouble and said such attempts were diverting focus from the path of development.

Launching the competitive examination study material prepared by Dr. BR Ambedkar Open University here, the Minister said no religion called for fighting in its name and it was meaningless to squabble as to whose God was greater and whose not.

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“No God has asked for fights in his name. Is there any meaning in fighting as to whose God is great,” he said.

“At a time when so many people are deprived of food and water and the society is plagued with several issues, is it right to have such petty fights in the name of religion? Shame on us,” he said.

There were real issues like rising prices of gas, petrol and diesel and instead of asking about them, the issue was diverted with debates on Halaal, Hijab and Munawar Faruqui, he said.

The fundamental responsibility of an elected government in India, which was still a third world country where the majority of population was below the poverty line, was to take care of vulnerable sections.

“It’s a shame for a government if one dies of hunger or lack of medical care or when one is deprived of an opportunity of education and learning,” Rama Rao said, also pointing out that the issue of Naxalism could be viewed by some as a law and order issue but when a government ensured social and economic security, the attraction towards Naxalism was reduced.

Efforts to provide succour to the poor and needy with measures such as rice, pension, free electricity and education were being termed ‘freebies’ by the union government, which on the other hand had waived off corporate tax to the tune of Rs.12 lakh crore.

According to the IT Minister, the economies of India and China were equal i.e., 470 billion dollars in 1987, but now China was at 16 trillion dollars and India was at 3 trillion dollars.

“China has moved forward by 5.8 times in terms of GDP compared to India. Our country is still talking on communal lines, besides dictating what to eat and wear,” he said.

Education Minister P Sabitha Indra Reddy, MLC Surabhi Vani and others were present.

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