Telangana Minister KT Rama Rao on Saturday, June 11, asked how many raids by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Income Tax (I-T) department took place on BJP leaders or their kin in the last eight years of NDA rule at the Union government, and attacked the BJP for allegedly playing hate politics. "How many ED, IT & CBI raids on BJP leaders or their kith & kin in last 8 years?. Kya Sab Ke Sab BJP waale Satya Harischandra Ke rishthedaar hain? (sic) (Are all BJP people relatives of Satya Harischandra?)," he tweeted.
Addressing a public meeting at Khammam town on Saturday, KTR, who is also the son of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao referred to the protests in several parts of the country on Friday against the controversial remarks on Prophet Mohammad by two now-suspended BJP functionaries and asked as to who is responsible for the situation.
"After 75 years of Independence in this country, who is speaking in a way that triggers needless disputes and makes one look at the other with doubt," he said. Jobs and welfare of the poor should be the priority in the country and not disputes over caste or religion, he said. He claimed that foreigners and investors ask as to why India is remaining backward, while China, which is slightly more populous, is moving ahead.
India and China had the same economic situation 35 years ago, but China grew almost six times bigger than India, he said. The reason is issues related to caste and religion in the country, he said. He hit out at the state BJP president and Karimnagar Member of Parliament (MP) Bandi Sanjay Kumar, without naming him, for allegedly playing cheap politics in the name of religion. Saying that many "political tourists" are coming to Telangana from Delhi and talk about funds "given" to the state, KTR said while Telangana people paid over Rs 3.65 lakh crore in the form of taxes to the Union government during the last eight years, they got only Rs 1.65 lakh crore.
He said he would not say that Telangana should get back every paisa from the Union government but such claims about having given funds to Telangana are not proper. It is a matter of pride that Telangana contributed to the nation, he said. Referring to the public meeting addressed by Rahul Gandhi at Warangal recently, KTR said the Congress sought one chance to rule the state but the party had got many chances in the past.
Having failed to address issues of drinking water, irrigation, electricity and others during its 50 years of rule, Congress seeking one chance now cannot be believed, he said. KTR, who participated in various developmental activities at Khammam, spoke at length about the progress achieved during the TRS rule.
The TRS and the BJP have been engaged in a bitter war of words for several months now as they gear up for Legislative Assembly elections next year.