Kharge Questions KCR Over Breaking Dalit Chief Minister Promise

Medak (Telangana): Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge today rapped the Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao for being “a habitual liar” and questioned him over breaking the promise of making a Dalit as the Chief Minister of Telangana state.

Mr Kharge also lashed out at KCR for blaming the Congress for the Election Commission of India stopping the payment to farmers under Rythu Bandhu scheme. He pointed out, neither it was their (Congress) government at the centre, nor did his party have any control over the ECI. He said KCR was spreading lies to blame the Congress.

Addressing a largely attended public meeting here today, Mr Kharge pointed out that KCR had promised to make a Dalit as the Chief Minister. He asked, what happened to that promise. He said, not only did KCR back out from making a Dalit as the CM of the state, but he later justified it by saying that they (the Dalits) cannot run the state.

Congress president also reminded KCR of his promise of giving one job to one family each in Telangana but later backing out in the assembly saying it cannot be done. He counted several more promises that KCR made to people of the state but backed out later.

Accusing the KCR and his family of “looting and robbing the state”, Mr Kharge referred to the scams which had been reported in the state under his rule like the RRR project, the Dharni portal scam, mid-day meal scam, Kaleshwaram Dam scam to name just a few.

The Congress president pointed out, when the Telangana state was carved out in the year 2014, it was a financially surplus state. He said, during the last ten years KCR has made it a debt-ridden state with total debt amounting to Rs five lakh sixty thousand crores. This means, he said, every person in the state has a debt of Rs 1.4 lakhs on his/her head.

Condemning KCR for his ingratitude and betrayal, he said, he (KCR) was abusing the same people who made him reach to this position and enrich himself and his family. He pointed out that it was Mrs Sonia Gandhi who had made Telangana a separate state. He said KCR became the Chief Minister and now he was not sparing even Mrs Gandhi in his criticism.

Taking a dig at the Telangana CM for confining himself to his farmhouse and not meeting anyone, Mr Kharge said, compared to him Congress leader Mr Rahul Gandhi walked 4,000 kms across the country from Kanyakumari to Kashmir and met lakhs of common people. He said, KCR in comparison meets the rich and wealthy people only.

The Congress president reiterated six guarantees of his party, saying these will be immediately implemented once Congress forms the government in the state.

These guarantees include among others, Rs 2,500 every month for women, gas cylinder for Rs 500, free bus travel for women, Rs 4,000 monthly pension for the elderly, Rs ten lakh health insurance cover, Rs 15,000 per acre annual compensation for the farmers and Rs 12,000 annual compensation for the landless labourers, Rs 500 per quintal bonus on paddy over and above the MSP, cash assistance up to Rs five lakh for students for their college education and tuition fees etc.

Congress general secretary in charge organization KC Venugopal and many senior leaders were also present on the occasion.