CM KCR calls for ‘BJP mukt Bharat’

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao blamed the saffron party's government at the Centre for the many ills plaguing the country.

Hyderabad: Holding the BJP government at the Centre responsible for the problems plaguing the country, Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Wednesday called for ‘BJP mukt Bharat’. Flanked by his Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar, he vowed to make all efforts to unite all the anti-BJP forces and drive away the saffron party from the country.

Rao, who was on a one-day visit to Patna, had categorically stated that issues pertaining to who will lead the Opposition will be decided in due course when all the Opposition parties will sit and discuss. “We are in no hurry”, he said. When the media posed the same question repeatedly, he made it clear that he cannot take such decisions as other political parties too were involved. “Bina brahmin shaadi hota hai kya? (Will there be a wedding without the purohit)” he stated in reference to the face of the Opposition.

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“Ours is a main front, not third or other front,” Chandrashekhar Rao and his Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar asserted in response to a question posed by the media. Chandrashekhar Rao who visited Patna to distribute cheques to the bereaved families of the Galwan soldiers who lost their lives in a fight with the Chinese troops and Bihar migrant workers who died in a fire mishap in Secunderabad, held discussions with Nitish Kumar and Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav on national politics among other issues.

He also called on Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav who extended his support for the cause of Telangana State formation and discussed his ideas. Both Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad Yadav are learnt to have reached a consensus with Chandrashekhar Rao on the need for unification of the Opposition parties and oust the BJP at the Centre.

Addressing the mediapersons on the occasion, Chandrashekhar Rao criticised the Narendra Modi government and its policies for the problems plaguing the country. He blamed the Modi government for ‘capital drain’ akin to ‘brain drain’ of previous years due to which companies were withdrawing their money from the country. He said the much touted Gujarat model had failed on all fronts.

Rao stated that despite availability of abundant resources, people do not have access to water, electricity and other basic amenities. He said due to the Centre’s bankrupt policies, prices of all essential commodities are skyrocketing beyond the reach of the common man. “We can electrify the entire country within two years. But we are unable to achieve it due to the Centre’s bad policies. While Telangana has Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) to meet all its coal needs, the Centre is insisting on purchasing imported coal which is 8-10 times more than our coal,” he added.

The Chief Minister smelled a larger conspiracy to weaken the farmers and enable the corporate companies to take over agriculture. He demanded to know why, even after the Prime Minister apologised to farmers, the farmers’ issues have not been addressed till date.

He also flayed the Modi government for having brought in the ‘Agnipath‘ scheme for recruitment in the armed forces “without consulting any State governments and the Opposition parties”. He said the Centre was also changing its economic and other crucial policies without consulting the States.

“The Prime Minister’s capabilities are now open for everyone’s scrutiny. Due to the Centre’s inefficiency, India is suffering on all fronts. As if it is not enough, the States which are performing well are being targeted with political motives. The BJP is only indulging in sloganeering, and none of these slogans have been realised so far,” he lashed out.

The TRS chief also slammed the Centre for going on a privatisation spree and showing indifference towards States’ concerns, citing the example of “turning down” Bihar’s demand for special category status. “What is your contribution for the country that you are on a selling spree? You have failed on all fronts,” he said.

He termed the BJP as a big threat, which created the biggest threat to the country in the form of communal hatred. He demanded to know why no action was being taken against the leaders who were claiming to replace the national flag with a saffron flag and belittling Mahatma Gandhi.

Chandrashekhar Rao also ridiculed Modi for having uttered “Ab ki baar Trump sarkaar” during a visit to the last US elections, calling it a “diplomatic blunder”. He also criticised the BJP’s mission of eliminating all Opposition parties from the political arena. “It is a shame that the leader of the ruling party says that he will finish all other Opposition parties,” he added.

On CBI and ED conducting raids on the Opposition leaders, the Chief Minister termed them as attacks with political motives. “Most of them are false and fabricated. The entire country is aware of this. Law and order is a State subject and the Centre has no role,” he asserted. He wondered why no raids were being conducted on the BJP leaders alone as if they are cousins of Satya Harishchandra. He opined that all the States should withdraw their consent to CBI and other Central agencies to conduct raids in their respective States which was mandatory as per the law.