Hyderabad, July 23 (NSS): Terming the Union Budget as a kursi bachao budget driven by political compulsions and claimed that it has showed discrimination towards Telangana State in the allocation of funds, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy demanded that Union Minister G Kishan Reddy should come out of the Cabinet in protest against injustice done to Telangana.
Responding to the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Lok Sabha, the Chief Minister told the media at his residence here on Tuesday that the people had elected 8 BJP MPs from the Telangana State, but the Union government had deceived the people by not giving funds to the State.
“BJP MPs should question the injustice done to Telangana and Union Minister G Kishan Reddy should come out from the Cabinet immediately in protest against the discrimination towards the State,” Revanth Reddy demanded.
“Telangana State Ministers have gone to New Delhi 18 times. I myself appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to give the necessary funds to Telangana, but the Centre has once again deceived the State and Nirmala Sitharaman has not even uttered the word Telangana in her budget speech. Modi thinks that Telangana is not a part of Vikasit India. Only Bihar and AP were considered in the budget, ignoring other States,” Revanth Reddy criticised.
“Modi is in the Prime Minister’s chair because of giving 8 MP seats from Telangana. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has written a letter saying that IIM cannot be given to Telangana. Then why is Kishan Reddy continuing as Union Minister? He is deceiving the people by mortgaging the rights of Telangana with Narendra Modi for the post of Union Minister,” he alleged.
The Centre has sanctioned funds to Andhra Pradesh as per the Andhra Pradesh Reorganization act. Why is the Telangana State not provided allocations under the same act? No funds for Musi Riverfront development project and also Regional Ring Road. The union budget did not mention ITIR, Revanth Reddy pointed out.
“Sab Ka Saath Sab Ka Vikas has been turned into a bogus slogan. The Prime Minister is not considering Telangana part of Vikasit Bharat. It is not the Viksit Bharat Budget and only the ‘ Chair Bachao Budget’. Except Bihar and Andhra Pradesh, no funds have been allocated for the development of other States,” Revanth Reddy said.
Alleging that the Prime Minister has given priority to some States in the allocations under quid pro quo to save his chair, the Chief Minister said that the Congress would stage a protest in Parliament for Telangana rights and stated that the Reorganization act applies to not only Andhra Pradesh, but also Telangana State.
“The Congress government is strongly condemning Modi’s partisan stance on Telangana. The Centre is discriminating against Southern States. If this continues, we are ready to launch another movement,” Revanth Reddy cautioned.
He further stated that the State Assembly will debate the injustice meted to Telangana in the Union Budget on Wednesday and it will expose the shady deals entered by some political parties who are conspiring for reuniting two Telugu States.
Revanth Reddy also requested opposition leader and former chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao to participate in the discussion in the Legislative Assembly on the rights and funds to Telangana.
Otherwise, it will give an impression that KCR and Modi have colluded, he added.