Leader of Opposition in Telangana State Legislative Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir has slammed the TRS Government for its failure to make the Central Government fulfil the promises made with the Telangana State in Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014.
Addressing a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan here on Friday, Shabbir Ali said Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has announced a special package of Rs. 2.25 lakh crore for Andhra Pradesh. But the Finance Minister did not even mention a word on the status of promises made with Telangana under the APRA. “At the time of bifurcation, the then UPA Government had given several assurances to Telangana which included setting up of Bayyaram steel plant, 4,000 MW power plant at Ramagundem, Horticulture and Tribal Universities, Central institutions and other sops. However, not a single promise made in the Act has been fulfilled so far. Who is responsible for this? TRS Government in the State or BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre?” he asked.
He demanded that the Centre extend a financial package for Telangana on par with Andhra Pradesh.
Shabbir Ali said that Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao was behaving like a ‘Sheik Chilli’ who only makes tall claims. “KCR has turned a revenue-surplus Telangana into a bankrupt and debt-ridden State in 27 months. While Central Government is giving Rs. 2.25 Lakh Crore to AP, KCR is trying to borrow loans for each and every project. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s maiden visit to Telangana last month, instead of asking for funds, the Chief Minister asked for his ‘love and affection’,” he said adding that affection between Modi and KCR would only help KCR’s family and people of Telangana would gain nothing out of it. He said KCR could not even get High Court bifurcated. Both patted each other’s back, but skipped discussion on issues concerning Telangana State, he said.
“Where do you want to take Telangana with your immature behaviour?” Shabbir Ali asked KCR. He said that the Chief Minister should take Congress leaders to Delhi if he had “no guts” to seek funds for Telangana from the Centre.
Shabbir Ali demanded that the Central Government fulfil all the promises that were made with Telangana in the AP Reorganisation Act. Stating that Polavaram has been accorded National Project status, he asked KCR whether Kaleshwaram would get the same status as he had changed the name and design of Pranahita-Chevella project.
The Congress leader also slammed Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister K. Tarakarama Rao for deteriorating condition of civic amenities in Hyderabad. “While KCR had promised to spend over Rs. 20,000 Crore on city’s development, KTR came up with 100 Days Action Plan. KTR had once challenged that the condition of roads would be improved to the extent that people won’t be able find any potholes on roads. Situation has now turned so worse that I can challenge KTR to show roads among potholes,” he said.
He pointed out that the roads near historic Charminar were full of potholes. “Is this how you are promoting Hyderabad as a global city among foreign tourists?” he asked.
“KCR and KTR had promised to develop the new city like Dallas and old city like Istanbul. We will be grateful if they could at least maintain the same Hyderabad that existed before TRS came to power,” said Shabbir Ali. (INN)