The 'Make in India' initiative has become a 'Joke in India, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said on Wednesday, January 18, taking a dig at the BJP-led Union government. Addressing the first public meeting of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in Khammam, party chief KCR said free power would be provided to farmers across the country if a 'BRS proposed government' captured power at the Union government in 2024, following polls to the Lok Sabha.
"Make in India has become Joke in India. There is Make in India, but there are China bazaars in every street (in the country)," he said ridiculing the NDA government's flagship programme. He further said if BRS comes to power, the Agnipath scheme for recruitment in the Armed Forces would be abolished. Schemes like Telangana's Rythu Bandhu (for the welfare of farmers) should be implemented throughout the country and it is his party's slogan and demand, KCR asserted.
He slammed the BJP and Congress, alleging that both the parties are responsible for interstate water issues. He said the BRS is opposing tooth and nail the 'disinvestment of LIC'. Presided by BRS President KCR, the meeting was attended by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, his Kerala counterpart Pinarayi Vijayan, CPI General Secretary D Raja and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav.
The meeting assumes political significance as it is the first public meeting after the TRS decided to go national by renaming itself as BRS and also because leaders of different opposition parties -- BRS, Aam Admi Party (AAP), Samajwadi Party and the Left -- were seen together. Speaking after hoisting the pink colour flag of BRS after the Election Commission approved the name change of TRS as BRS in December, 2022, KCR exuded confidence that the "pink flag would fly high on the Red Fort one day." Addressing his party leaders then, he gave the slogan of 'Ab ki baar kisan sarkar' (farmers' government this time) and said new economic, environment, water, electricity and women empowerment policies are needed in the country.
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