Telangana: A war of words between Congress and BRS in the Legislative Assembly

Hyderabad: The Telangana Legislative Assembly witnessed a stormy debate on the Motion of Thanks to the Governor's address with the ruling Congress and the opposition BRS indulging in a war of words over the track record of the two parties while in power, alleging 'family rule' and others.

BRS Working President K T Rama Rao, who alleged that the Governor's address was full of untruths and that he is "shameful as a member" to listen to such a speech, attacked the Congress that its rule in undivided Andhra Pradesh was marked by parched lands, hunger deaths and suicides.

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy led the Congress defence, citing the alleged family rule, non-completion of irrigation projects, ignoring the families of those who sacrificed their lives for the cause of Telangana statehood, leak of question papers and other failures during the 10 years of BRS rule.

"... our government broke the iron gates of Pragati Bhavan (former CM KCR's camp office-cum-official residence). It is a government elected by the people. It is the people's government. Ministers did not have an entry to meet the Chief Minister then. Gaddar (folk singer), who gave a push to the Telangana agitation, did not have an entry. But, today, the government is ready to listen if minorities, Dalits, tribals, women, weaker sections say we have a problem," the CM said.

The debate on the Motion of Thanks to the Governor's address on Saturday is the first debate after the formation of the third Telangana Legislative Assembly following the recent elections.

In a sharp attack on the Congress, Rama Rao, son of former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, alleged that lack of electricity and water supply, dictatorial rule, emergency and attacks on state governments and unfulfilled 'garibi hatao' slogan were the order of the day during the 'Indiramma Rajyam' (the welfare rule of former PM Indira Gandhi promised by the Congress).

He also alleged that Telangana Congress leaders, in an undivided AP, kept quiet for the sake of posts and also when the then CM Kiran Kumar Reddy "refused" to give any funds to Telangana.

State Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar countered Rama Rao by saying a separate Telangana State was achieved with the Congress also fighting for it due to the belief that Telangana was discriminated against in the undivided state.

The debate should be about the government programmes after Telangana formation in 2014, he said.

Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said people had fought for Telangana and it was Congress which fulfilled the demand of separate. However, Telangana which was a surplus state is burdended with Rs five lakh crore debt during the BRS regime since 2014, he said.

Revanth Reddy, who intervened, referred to Rama Rao talking about the past and said it was the Congress which made former CM KCR as a vice-president in the Youth Congress and it was again Congress which made KCR an MP and an Union Minister.

KCR's nephew and MLA T Harish Rao was made a minister in the government of Y S Rajasekhara Reddy in undivided AP when the former was not even a legislator, he said.

The government is ready for a debate if the opposition members are keen on a debate about the past, Revanth Reddy said.

The government has presented its vision document and the opposition should make constructive suggestions, he said.

Later, replying to the debate, CM Revanth Reddy hit out at the BRS, saying people of the state gave a verdict against family rule in the recent elections.

In a veiled reference to Rama Rao speaking for the BRS, he said he and people had expected that any experienced members of BRS would get the opportunity to speak but the people were left disappointed as only the "family" got the opportunity.

Referring to the BRS claiming to be a party that ran the Telangana agitation, he asked whether the then Chief Minister (KCR) ever invited any family members of those who sacrificed their lives for the cause of Telangana to his camp office-cum-official residence and extended help.

Without mentioning KCR's name, he said the former CM, however, gave posts to his son, nephew and daughter .

Did the former CM ever review the police cases against the students and others who supported the Telangana cause and tried to remove such cases, he asked.

The BRS claims to have grown on the back of the Telangana agitation but the BRS government disbanded the 'Dharna Chowk' in Hyderabad, a venue for democratic protests, he said.

BRS claims to have made "farmer like a king", but Telangana, according to a reply given by the Centre in Rajya Sabha, ranks 25 in terms of farmers' income, Revanth Reddy said.

According to NCRB figures, Telangana is either at the first or second place in farmers' suicides in the country during the last 10 years, he said.

Had a crop insurance scheme been introduced, farmers would not have committed suicide or died out of helplessness, he said.

The former CM (KCR) had advised farmers not to cultivate paddy but he cultivated paddy in 150 acres in his farmhouse, he alleged. "I challenge the opposition. Poor farmers did not get an MSP of Rs 1,960 for their produce. But, the paddy produced in the farmhouse was sold for Rs 4,250 per quintal or not," he said.

He is ready to order a probe if the BRS is ready, he said.

The BRS claims Telangana to be the number one in the country in power capita power utilisation but Telangana is at 10th position as per the Central Electricity Authority annual report of 2023, he said.

KCR had promised to grant government housing to Alampur flood victims or even by selling off his house at Banjara Hills in Hyderabad but double bedroom housing for the poor was not provided to them during the BRS regime, he said.

As some BRS members protested, Revanth Reddy said the BRS members should listen to the harsh realities.

"They should listen. That is the punishment for them. My appeal to the Speaker is not to allow them outside. The government's thinking is to bring transformation in them by making them listen to harsh realities," he said.

Referring to Rama Rao's comments on 'Indiramma Rajyam', he said the 'Indiramma Rajyam' means houses, lands to landless Dalits and tribals, tuition fees reimbursement to students, four per cent reservation to minorities, among others, which would be ushered in.

On Rama Rao's comments that he was ashamed to listen to the Governor's address, he asked, "don't they have a role in the looting of sand in this state".

He also talked about alleged police high-handedness against Dalits at Nerella and farmers being handcuffed during the BRS regime.

With BRS members voicing protest, Speaker Prasad Kumar appealed to them not to enter the well of the house saying he would give opportunity for them to speak.

He also attacked the BRS over the leak of question papers of recruitment tests conducted by the Telangana State Public Service Commission (TSPSC) when BRS was in power.

The Chief Minister asserted that his government would put down the menace of drugs with an iron hand and appealed to the opposition to support the government in the endeavour.

The BRS government did not strengthen the state-level narcotics bureau which was created on paper, he said.

Rama Rao, who responded to Revanth Reddy's allegations against the BRS vis-a-vis sand, said the revenue to the government on sand in Telangana region during 2004 to 2014 was Rs 39.50 crore, while it was over Rs 5,000 crore between 2014 and 2023.

Referring to the allegations of police high-handedness against Dalits at Nerella, Rama Rao said there is nothing new in the allegation. He said he, who was the BRS candidate there, got the majority.

The government can order any inquiry but sweeping generalisations should not be made, Rama Rao said.

"The people of the state are bowing their head in shame because a person who does not know the difference between crop insurance and farmers' insurance is sitting there," he said.

BJP member A Maheshwar Reddy, AIMIM MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi, CPI member Kunamneni Sambasiva Rao, Congress MLAs Ram Mohan Reddy and G Vivek spoke during the debate.