KTR attacks Congress government in Assembly over false claims
KT Rama Rao attacked the Congress government in Telangana Assembly, alleging false claims in the Governor’s address, questioning six guarantees, welfare schemes and investment data, and daring the ruling party to prove its assertions or face his resignation challenge
Hyderabad: Hauling the ruling Congress party over the coals for its broken promises, BRS working president KT Rama Rao said the State government was pushing false claims in the Governor’s address and challenged its leaders stating that he would resign if proven wrong.
From legal sanctity to the six guarantees, interest-free loans to women SHGs, crop loan waiver for farmers and investment claims, he mounted a sharp attack, countering the Congress government’s assertions at every step.
Participating in the Motion of Thanks on the Governor’s address in the Assembly on Tuesday, Rama Rao sought to highlight what he termed as the government’s failures with facts and figures. He questioned the Congress government’s assurances on granting legal sanctity to the six guarantees within 100 days of assuming office. In December 2023, the then Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan had stated that Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy had already signed the file. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi had also assured that legal sanctity would be provided in the first Cabinet, he said.
“Where is the file signed by the Chief Minister granting legal status to the six guarantees? If such an important document has disappeared, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) must be constituted immediately to trace it,” he demanded.
“If the Chief Minister’s signed file itself has no value, how can people trust this government? Every declaration made by the Chief Minister today carries zero value in the eyes of the public,” he added.
When ruling party members alleged that the previous BRS government had not issued a single ration card, he countered them by stating that Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy had informed the House that 6.5 lakh ration cards were distributed between 2014 and 2023. Interrupting his speech, Roads and Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy reiterated that the BRS government had not issued any ration cards. He urged Rama Rao to be patient and assured that the Congress government would fulfil its promises.
Referring to the Congress manifesto, the BRS working president said each family was promised benefits worth Rs 2.5 lakh annually. “The Congress said each family would benefit to the tune of Rs 2.5 lakh. Even after over two years, can the government show a single family that has received such benefits?” he asked.
Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka intervened and listed schemes such as 200 units of free power, fine rice distribution and others. He claimed that with Rythu Bharosa assistance and a Rs 500 bonus for fine rice, each farmer was receiving benefits of Rs 25,000 per acre. Dismissing these claims, Rama Rao said if each of the 1.06 crore families were receiving Rs 2.50 lakh annually, the State would require Rs 2.75 lakh crore for welfare schemes alone.
He alleged that in the last two and a half years of Congress rule, people from all sections had been betrayed and pointed out that the Governor’s address made no mention of the six guarantees and declarations.
“India won the T20 cricket world cup recently. If there is a 420 world cup, the Congress party will win the cup definitely,” Rama Rao said, alleging that people in Telangana, Delhi, Maharashtra and Kerala were being misled.
Industries Minister D Sridhar Babu intervened and said the State government would approach the Centre repeatedly to secure funds. Hitting back, Rama Rao said: “You go to Delhi not to secure funds but to offer them. That is the difference.”
Highlighting discrepancies in IT exports and employment figures mentioned in the Governor’s address, he said the document stated IT exports at Rs 3.13 lakh crore and jobs at 9.39 lakh. However, he pointed out that the IT Minister had earlier stated that exports in 2023-24 were Rs 3.60 lakh crore and jobs stood at 9.46 lakh, indicating a reduction of 7,000 jobs. “Fire your Secretary and officers for these mistakes,” Rama Rao told Sridhar Babu, who replied that he would verify the details.
On investment claims, Rama Rao demanded that the government release a white paper detailing agreements signed and the number of grounded projects. He also criticised the government’s approach to Pharma City, stating that while the government informed the court that Green Pharma City was being developed, the 14,000 acres acquired were being diverted for a Future City project.
“The existing city is being ruined and grand plans are being laid for Future City. Day economy is ruined and night economy is being assured,” he said.
Responding again, Sridhar Babu maintained that Green Pharma City was being taken up and added that industrial development required residential areas, sports arenas and entertainment zones.
On Panchayat Raj Minister D Anasuya’s claim that the government had paid an interest of Rs 1,390 crore on SHG loans, and the Deputy Chief Minister’s supporting statement that Rs 57,000 crore in interest-free loans had been extended to SHGs over the past two years, Rama Rao refused to accept their claims and asked for the orders to be placed in the House. “I am prepared to resign if I’m wrong and if I’m right, the Deputy Chief Minister should resign for misleading the House,” Rama Rao said.
Also stating that the government was misleading farmers on crop loan waiver, Rama Rao challenged the Chief Minister to prove that the scheme had been fully implemented in at least one village in the State. “If I am proved wrong, I will offer my resignation from the same village,” he said, also charging that the government had delayed Rythu Bharosa payments multiple times. As he continued exposing the State government, the Chief Minister left the House.
“Government spends money for the Chief Minister’s Harvard course fee but has no money to grant students’ overseas education scholarships,” Rama Rao added.
