Hyderabad: Holding the successive governments at the Centre responsible for their failure to provide basic amenities, BRS president and Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao gave a clarion call to the people of the country to raise the slogan of ‘Chand Sitare Chodo, Paani Aur Bijili Jodo’ (forget about bringing down moon and stars, give us at least water and electricity).
He expressed his concern that in 75 years of independent India, the governments failed to provide safe drinking water, irrigation facility and regular power supply to the farming community. He urged the people of the country to wake up and fight against the lopsided policies adopted by the Central government in this regard.
Chandrashekhar Rao was addressing a massive gathering of leaders and activists from Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, who joined the BRS at Pragathi Bhavan on Wednesday. The exodus from Maharashtra into the BRS continued even as that from Madhya Pradesh gained momentum.
He said people are suffering due to lack of integrity in the ruling party at the Centre.
“Why aren’t the other States of the country moving on the development path when development programmes are being implemented in all sectors successfully in Telangana? Are we demanding to bring down the moon and stars for distribution? We are only seeking drinking water, irrigation water and electricity, which are essential for our life, provided by nature. Forget about the moon and stars, but give us at least water and electricity,” he demanded.
The BRS president said India will lead the world if the available natural resources in the country are utilised optimally. Drinking water, electricity and irrigation facilities are the top agenda of the BRS, he added.
Renowned RTI and tribal rights activist Anand Roy, who exposed the Vyapam scam, joined the BRS juggernaut in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh. Prominent tribal rights organisation Jai Adivasi Yuvashakti Sangathan (JAYS), too, pledged its support to the BRS in Madhya Pradesh.
JAYS president Lal Singh Burman, Pancham Bheel, Ashwin Dube, Gaziram Badole, Kailash Rana and others also joined the BRS. Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao inducted them into the party fold by offering them pink scarves on Wednesday.
JAYS founder Vikram Achalia said the aspirations of the poor, backward classes, Dalits and Adivasis have not been fulfilled in the 75 years of independent India. However, he felt that Chandrashekhar Rao created confidence among the people across the country to fulfil their aspirations by successfully implementing numerous welfare and development programmes with a humanitarian approach for the development of SCs, STs, BCs and minorities in Telangana.
Meanwhile, the exodus from various political parties into the BRS continues unabated in Maharashtra. Attracted by the vision and development agenda of the BRS president, several former MLAs and leaders from the BJP and Shiv Sena, along with more than 50 sarpanches and people from different social organisations, called on the Chief Minister at Pragati Bhavan on Wednesday and expressed their readiness to work for the BRS in Maharashtra. They joined the party in the presence of Chandrashekhar Rao.
A delegation of sarpanches had recently travelled across Telangana and examined its development model in various fields as well as the implementation of the welfare and development programmes, which propelled them to join the BRS.