Harish Rao distributes Christmas gifts to 4,000 poor in Gajwel

Addressing the gathering after presenting new clothes to poor Christian families in Gajwel, the Minister said the State government had also distributed similar gift packs during Ramzan and Dasara.

Siddipet: Finance Minister T Harish Rao said the State government was distributing new clothes to the poor during Dasara, Ramzan and Christmas to help the poor celebrate the festival irrespective of their political association. The Minister cut a cake and distributed it among Christians on the occasion.

Addressing the gathering after presenting new clothes to poor Christian families in Gajwel on Monday, the Minister said the State government had also distributed similar gift packs during Ramzan and Dasara. Over 4,000 people were presented the gift packs containing new clothes on the occasion.

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Harish Rao, who had lunch with them, also distributed Kalyana Lakshmi cheques to 40 beneficiaries.

While the previous governments had extended no support to Christians here, the Minister said Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao had built the best Christian Bhavan for the people of Gajwel. Saying that the Chief Minister was celebrating each and every festival in a grand way in the State, he said the government had given an opportunity to declare the second day in schools as an optional holiday. Rao said the State government was celebrating the Samakka-Sarakka Jathara as a State festival though the Centre had refused to recognise it as a national festival despite repeated appeals from the Chief Minister.

Medak MP Kotha Prabhakar Reddy, MLC Dr V Yadava Reddy, Zilla Parishad Chairperson V Roja Sharma, Forest Development Corporation Chairman Vanteru Prathap Reddy, DCCB Chairman Chitti Devenedar Reddy and others were present.