IT Minister K Taraka Rama Rao today demanded the Telangana Congress leaders to exert pressure on AICC Chief Sonia Gandhi to prevent the Polavaram Amendment Bill from getting passed in the Rajya Sabha.
KTR said Congress Chief Ponnala Lakshmaiah, CLP leaders K Jana Reddy and D Srinivas should visit Delhi and talk to Sonia Gandhi in this regard. Addressing a press conference here, he accused the Centre of passing the bill in violation of democratic norms with its existing strength. Earlier T Congress leaders who found fault with the Polavaram Ordinance should now show their commitment in preventing the bill from getting passed in the Rajya Sabha, KTR said.
FLAYS TDP, BJP
He took exception to Telangana TDP and BJP leaders failure to fight against the Polavaram Bill. Though the Congress leaders used to give lip sympathy, there is no use he said. It is nothing but a litmus test for three congress leaders who have to show their commitment towards Telangana, he said. The TRS Rajya Sabha MP, K Kesava Rao will try to stall the bill by demanding for a voting, but it is for the Congress to exert pressure against the bill, he maintained. Since the upper house has majority of Congress members, they should try to prevent the bill, he said adding that whether they keep quite or remain henchmen to their Andhra leaders has to be seen. Though Telangana TDP has 3 MPs in Rajya Sabha, they have to wait and see what they will do in this regard, he said. Since inception they have been demanding design change of Polavaram project, and justice to people to be displaced, he said adding that even Andhra engineers also suggesting change in the design of the project.
He alleged that some TD leaders from Telangana were still in the clutches of Chandrababu and failing to oppose the bill. The minister asked the Telangana BJP leaders to come out for the cause of Telangana tribals who may be rendered injustice if Rajya Sabha gives its nod to the bill passed in Lok Sabha. He lamented that the BJP Government is resorting to deceive the Tribals in the name of ordinance and amendment, a favor made for Chandrababu. It is with the collusion of Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu and AP CM, the Polavaram Bill is being passed, but at the cost of Telangana, he alleged. What for the new BJP Government in place if it wants to repeat the same mistake that was committed by the Congress regime, he sought to know.(NSS)
