KCR vows to fight on behalf of distraught farmers, ensure them justice

K Chandrashekhar Rao said the Congress government had failed on all fronts

Hyderabad: Vowing to fight on behalf of distraught farmers and ensure them justice, BRS chief and former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Wednesday said despite water being the primary factor for the Telangana Statehood movement, the current Congress government had handed over the management of the Nagarjuna Sagar Project to the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) due to its inefficiency and incompetence.

Addressing the first roadshow of his Lok Sabha poll campaign at Miryalaguda, Chandrashekhar Rao said the Congress government had failed on all fronts. To cover up their inefficiency, Congress leaders were targeting him and the BRS to divert people’s attention from real issues.

---

“They are threatening to wipe out my presence in Telangana and send me to Cherlapally prison. How could they think that I will be threatened with such stupid statements? Would Telangana State become a reality if I had feared such threats?” he asked, reminding Congress leaders that people did not give them power to mislead them or abuse him.

He termed the Congress as the number one enemy of people of Telangana since 1956. For decades, the Congress had put people of Telangana through numerous hardships. He recalled that throughout the Telangana agitation of 15 years, the struggle was always for water. Recalling his visit to Miryalaguda 21 years ago in his fight for release of water from Nagarjuna Sagar project, he said the fight has always been for water. “Due to inefficiency of the current Congress government, we are forced to launch our fight for water once again,” he said.

The BRS president reminded that farmers who were confident and happy till four to five months ago, were now in distress due to the inefficiency of the Congress government. He demanded to know how the Congress government was unable to provide irrigation water under Nagarjuna Sagar project where the previous BRS government succeeded for 18 consecutive seasons. The inept Congress government would ruin agriculture in Telangana yet again, he said.

The Congress failed to provide Rythu Bandhu and there was no guarantee for Rythu Bima. While uninterrupted power supply was stopped after the Congress assumed power, supply of safe drinking water through Mission Bhagiratha was also facing challenges. “Despite having adequate resources and systems in place, the inept and inefficient Congress government cannot manage them properly or deliver services to the people,” he added.

The former Chief Minister stated that the Congress gave 420 promises during the recent Assembly elections, only to deny them after coming to power. He said one Minister warned of thrashing those seeking Rythu Bandhu with slippers, without realising that even farmers wear slippers which are stronger as well. He said the promises of Rs.2,500 to women, Rs.4,500 to unemployed youth and one tola gold to brides under Kalyana Lakshmi/Shaadi Mubarak were still on paper. Forget gold, the Congress government is incapable of even giving iron, he said.

He stated that while the previous BRS government waived off crop loans amounting to Rs.30,000 crore in two phases, the current Chief Minister, who asked farmers to obtain fresh crop loans with a promise to waive them off on December 9, could not fulfill his promise even after five months in power. Stating that the Congress gave false promises and came to power, he said only if the BRS candidates win in the MP elections, the interests of Telangana could be protected and justice can be ensured for farmers.

He asserted that the BRS would return to power soon and continue its fight until Bangaru Telangana (Golden Telangana) was realised. He urged people to give 10-12 MP seats to the BRS, enabling it to become their strength and pressurise the Congress government to deliver its electoral promises. “We need the BRS in the Parliament to fight on behalf of Telangana and its people,” he stated.