Legislative Affairs Minister T Harish Rao on Wednesday assured the State Legislative Assembly that families of all Telangana martyrs would be given promised financial assistance.
Intervening during a discussion in Question Hour, Harish Rao admitted that the list of Telangana martyrs released by the State Government was incomplete. He said all District Collectors have been asked to re-verify the facts and include all the persons who sacrificed their lives for the cause of Telangana. Citing the example of his native Medak district, he said he held a review meeting with the District Collector and asked him to furnish the complete list of Telangana martyrs. He pointed out that the government has allocated Rs 100 crore towards payment of compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to the families of martyrs although the list contains only 459 names. He said, as of now, government has kept aside amount for at least 1,000 martyrs. However, he said there is no limitation on the number of martyrs and all the names would be include.
Harish Rao appealed to the opposition parties not to politicise the issue of Telangana martyrs. “We are not breathing in the State of Telangana because of the sacrifices made by the martyrs. On June 2 every year, the concerned minister, District Collector and officials would first salute the martyrs before starting the Telangana Formation Day celebrations,” he said.
Earlier, Deputy Chief Minister Mehmood Ali requested the legislators to furnish information about the martyrs whose names are missing in the list. He said that the government would fulfill all the promises that it made with the families of martyrs which include payment of Rs 10 lakh compensation, government job to one eligible member of the family, free education and health care, housing facility to the needy and cultivable land in case the family is involved in farming. While replying to a question raised by TDP MLA Errabelli Dayakar Rao earlier, the Deputy CM said there was no proposal to treat the Telangana Martyrs as Freedom Fighters.
Speaking on the issue, Errabelli accused the government of neglecting the families of martyrs and all others who participated in the Telangana agitation. He asked as to how the number of martyrs came down from more than 1200 to just 459. He said the martyrs of 1969 agitation too should be extended the same benefits. He also demanded free bus and railway passes. He proposed that a memorial be constructed near Hussainsagar where Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao plans to construct world’s tallest building. He also urged the government to accomodate the members of martyrs’ families on nominated posts.
In response, the Deputy CM said that the government has already issued necessary instructions to modify the GO Ms No 36 to include the martyrs’ families of 1969 agitation as beneficiaries. He pointed out that the TRS has given ticket to mother of Srikanth Chary from Huzurnagar constituency while revolutionary singer Rasamayi Balakishan got elected as MLA on TRS ticket. He said all the artists who played a role in Telangana agitation would be honoured and given required assistance.
Congress Deputy floor leader T Jeevan Reddy said that the Telangana agitation was equivalent to the freedom movemenmt and struggle for Hyderabad Liberation. Therefore, all those who actively participated in the movement should be given the status of Freedom Fight. He also demanded naming of a new district after Srikanth Chary. While demanding immediate payment of special increment to the employees who participate in Sakala Janula Samme, he said that the government should immediately withdraw cases related to Telangana agitation.
Responding to his demands, Harish Rao informed that all the cases registered during Telangana agitation were being reviewed and withdrawn on almost daily basis by Home Minister Nayani Narasimha Reddy and a Special Cell has been working on the same. He said that the cases booked by the Railway Police are pending with the Centre.
MLAs, Rasamayi Balakishan, Venkata Veeraiah, and Ch Dharma Reddy also participated in the discussion. Rasamayi Balakishan enthralled the House with a song dedicated to Telangana martyrs. (INN)