Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao slammed the Centre on Thursday, 2 June, stating that India is in a "dangerous situation and is besieged by politics of hate." KCR said that while other countries were becoming superpowers, India was "still fighting over caste and religious differences."
Speaking at the Telangana formation day celebrations, KCR said, "When the countries, which attained freedom along with us, are becoming superpowers, we are still fighting over caste and religious differences. Today the country is in a dangerous situation. The country is besieged by politics of hate. There is no other discussion or debate in the country other than the religious madness. People's needs took a backstage. It is dangerous to gain political advantage out of communal clashes."
"If the destructive elements are allowed to have their say, the unity of the country will suffer. If the same violence continues, there will not be any international investment. It will prove detrimental to the NRIs living abroad. This hatred will take the country back hundreds of years. It won't be a surprise that the country will take another 100 years to recover from this terrible situation," he added.
Country Does Not Have a Common Aim: KCR
KCR said the country does not have a "common aim" and has been "left high and dry to the wind."
"The country is drifting like a boat, which had no anchor. Even after 75 years of independence, why do we still have poverty? Who is responsible for utilizing the vast human resource and natural resources that the country has in abundance? Who failed to guide the country? People in the country who are wise should ponder on the matter," he said.
"It is not important who will come to power at the Centre every five years. It is not about one Front replacing another at the Centre. What we need is a progressive agenda which can steer the country of its problems. The country needs a new destination. There should be a meaningful and practical change in the lives of people. There should be a qualitative change in the country," he added.
KCR said that responsible people would not remain quiet despite such incidents in the country and added that the people in this country need "jobs, employment, projects, water, and power."
"If the country is witnessing on a daily basis, wielding of swords, communal fights, and violence at the cost to the country, responsible people would not keep quiet. People in this country need jobs, employment, projects, water, and power. If the country needs to be on the progressive and development path, it needs new agriculture, industrial and economic policies. For this, a new socio-economic, political agenda path should be probed."
'Centre Trying To Weaken States Financially': KCR
KCR also said that the central government was conspiring to weaken the states financially as if it were cutting off a crumbling branch.
"The present central government is shifting taxes in the form of cess to evade the constitutionally due share of the states from the taxes levied by the Centre. It is a known fact that the Centre is squandering millions of crores of rupees due to the states."
"The Centre's attitude has become a stumbling block for states like Telangana, which maintains financial discipline by managing loans and investment expenditure within FRBM (Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act) limits. I demand that the Center immediately reconsider and immediately lift the economic sanctions imposed on the states and stop any further violation of the rights of the states.
KCR said that Telangana state was losing Rs 5,000 crore every year as it refused to implement the anti-farmer power reforms of the Centre.
"In five years, the state lost Rs 25,000 crore. If we want these Rs 25,000 crore, we have to install meters at the farmers' well and collect the power charges. That is not our policy. The state is not to accept any policy that creates a burden on the farmer. I will not accept these anti-farmer power reforms as long as I am alive. People's welfare in the state is very important to me."
'PM Modi Sent Telangana Funds but We Were Not Supported by State': Amit Shah
Speaking on the occasion of Telangana Formation Day, Home Minister Amit Shah said, "The formation of Telangana has a conflicting history. For years the people there fought, sacrificed and on 2nd June 2014 this youngest state of India came into existence. The BJP had always supported the establishment of Telangana. Even after making a promise in 2004, till 2014 the demand for Telangana was rejected. When the elections were near, the decision to establish Telangana was taken in 2014. But in that also both the method of working and the idea are displayed."
Shah further said that the Modi government had never meted out "stepmotherly treatment" to the state, but that Telangana had not reciprocated the Centre's support.
"PM Narendra Modi has sent funds of more than 2.52 lakh crore rupees for the development of Telangana from 2014-15 to 2021-22. I have full account of it. If you had given full cooperation on time, then this figure would have crossed Rs 3.5 lakh crore, but we were not supported by the state," he stated, speaking at the celebrations organised by Ministry of Culture in Delhi.
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