Rahul in Telangana: 24 cases against me are 24 medals on my chest

Andole (Telangana): Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday declared the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government in Telangana as his first target and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre as his next target to defeat.

Addressing a large public meeting here on Sunday, the Congress leader asserted that the 24 cases registered against him by the BJP government are ‘24 medals on his chest’, as these cases have been filed against him for ‘exposing the BJP government.’

Allegations of massive corruption

Alleging instances of fraud against the Telangana government, Rahul Gandhi said that chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao was running the most corrupt government in the country. Countering KCR’s question as to what Congress had done, Gandhi retorted with a volley of counter questions about the alleged massive corruption in the state.

“KCR ji, how much money did you steal from Kaleshwaram?” he questioned KCR while asking why all major money-minting ministries were with his family only.

Gandhi asked the CM KCR why he snatched the land of about 20 lakh farmers through the Dharni portal and handed it over to his billionaire friends. He told KCR that before posing any questions to the Congress, he (KCR) owed an explanation to the people of Telangana as to why he ‘betrayed, looted and robbed them through massive corruption.’

Unemployment and distress of farmers

The Congress leader claimed that there was massive unemployment and Telangana farmers were in distress as 8,000 farmers have committed suicide in the state under KCR’s rule. He asked the chief minister why his MLAs were taking a Rs 3 lakh cut from the Dalit Bandhu Scheme.

Gandhi attacked prime minister Narendra Modi for spreading hatred and violence in the country. He warned that hatred weakens the country. He said, this is the country of love, harmony and brotherhood and not hatred and that is why he had given the slogan of “nafrat ke bazaar mein, mohabbat ki dukan (a shop for love in the street of hate)” during his Bharat Jodo Yatra.

Gandhi alleged that the BRS, the BJP and the All India Majlis Ittehadul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) were all together. He said that while BRS helps te BJP at the Centre, the BJP helps BRS in Telangana. He pointed out that there is not a single case against KCR.

‘Closeness between AIMIM, BRS, BJP’

Gandhi disclosed that the AIMIM was helping the BJP everywhere against the Congress. He said, the AIMIM candidates were decided by the BJP and whosoever they think can cause maximum damage to the Congress is fielded in the elections.

The Congress leader reiterated the six guarantees to the people of Telangana saying that these will be made into the law in the very first Cabinet meeting of the new government.

The guarantees include Rs 2,500 monthly assistance for women, gas cylinders for Rs 500 each, free bus travel for women, Rs 15,000 per acre per annum compensation for farmers, Rs 12,000 per annum compensation for agriculture labourers, Rs 4,000 monthly pension for the elderly, free power to agriculture sector, Rs 5 lakhs assistance for the homeless for construction of houses, free 250 square yard plots for all those who participated in the struggle for separate Telangana state and cash assistance up to Rs 5 lakhs for students to meet their college, university and tuition expenses.

Congress general secretary in charge organisation KC Venugopal, and senior leader Manikrao Thakre were among those present on the occasion.