Rahul Gandhi fighting against farmers, says Kavitha

Addressing a media conference at Nizamabad, Kavitha ridiculed the stand of Congress leadership on the State’s welfare schemes such as Rythu Bandhu, Dalit Bandhu aimed at uplifting targeted communities in need of support

Hyderabad: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is fighting against the farmers in Telangana instead of fighting alongside them, if the party’s representation to the Election Commission seeking to stop the payment of Rythu Bandhu instalments to them is of any indication, BRS MLC K Kavitha said on Thursday.

Addressing a media conference at Nizamabad, she ridiculed the stand of the Congress leadership on the State’s welfare schemes such as Rythu Bandhu and Dalit Bandhu aimed at uplifting targeted communities in need of support. If the Congress leadership was out to deprive beneficiaries of the financial assistance from flagship programmes of the government, even round-the-clock free power supply to farmers would be one among them. Would they stop the power supply too, she asked.

---

There was fear that the Congress might even stop the water supply under Mission Bhagiratha. It may be the case even with Kalyana Lakshmi and Shadi Mubarak programmes too, she said, adding that schemes that were in implementation for years were also put to scrutiny, which was highly deplorable.

Farmers all over the State were hurt and angry with the Congress’ representation to the Election Commission seeking steps to keep the implementation of state schemes on hold. Kavitha wondered as to what the Congress guarantees to the voters of the State would be worth if the Gandhis had no guarantee for themselves. None of the Congress-ruled States could notify their job calendars so far. In fact, AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge was sidelined, while the likes of Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were calling the shots in the organisation. Backward classes were subjected to neglect in the Congress for long and their disillusionment would prove costly for it, she warned.

Kavitha pointed out that the Congress government in the State had left farmers in the lurch. There were instances wherein farmers’ land was acquired without paying compensation during the Congress regime. Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, who stood by the farmers, helped them in every way to revive their fortunes. For him, farmers were all important and he believed that nothing could be achieved by troubling the farmer community. The implementation of the master plan for Kamareddy was stopped as the farmers opposed it.

Appealing to the minorities to strengthen the hands of the Chief Minister, she said the Congress had always been looking at minorities as a vote bank despite the fact that it did the least for their welfare. The BRS leadership has always remained committed to the development of minorities. Congress leader Shabbir Ali, who ran away from the constituency, was all set to surface once again seeking votes. It was ultimately the Chief Minister who took care of the development needs of every section.

The defeat of BJP MP and leader Dharmapuri Arvind in the Korutla Assembly constituency was certain. So would be the case with whoever ventured to contest against Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao at Kamareddy also, she said.