Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Sunday, February 13, launched yet another scathing attack against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union government. Lending support to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who demanded proof of the surgical strike, KCR said half of the country including himself wants to know the truth. “There’s nothing wrong in Rahul Gandhi asking for proof of surgical strike,” he said, adding further that he himself would like to pose the same question. “There is popular apprehension, More than half of India believes that it is a political stunt,,” KCR said. He said that whenever there is an election in a state, there is disturbance on the border and it is projected in a heavy manner.
“If BJP wants to use surgical strike to meet its political ends, then Rahul Gandhi and I and everyone will question, why shouldn't we? The credit should go to the army, why should BJP take the credit?,” he said.
Alleging that there was corruption in the Rafale fighter plane deal, KCR said he will approach the Supreme Court to bring out the truth. Charging that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA Government should be dumped for its alleged anti-people policies, he said he would play a major role in uniting anti-BJP political parties. KCR alleged that there was corruption to the tune of thousands of crores of rupees and said the same Rafale jets were bought by the Indonesian Government at a lesser price. “We will also file a case in the Supreme Court and bring out the theft,” he said.
KCR said though he met several opposition leaders and Chief Ministers before 2019 polls, things went in a different way with BJP coming back to power. He said the present situation is now proving to be disastrous to the nation as day by day it is worsening. "The country is fully filled with religious emotions which is not desirable, which is uncalled for, which is unwanted and not good for the country,” he slammed the NDA government.
On the hijab row in Karnataka, he said it is not desirable. When asked about PM Modi’s silence on the issue so far, KCR said, “The entire country is silent. This is terrible … Whenever elections happen, either create ruckus at the border, create war, or instigate people in the name of religion. Such politics need to stop,” he said. “Please think about what is happening in Karnataka. What is being taught to young boys and girls? Such hatred. Where will India go?” he asked.
KCR also said petrol and diesel prices will go up after the Assembly polls in UP.
He alleged that the Union government is exerting pressure on the state governments to implement draft power reforms even before they are passed by Parliament and become an Act. "It is constitutional violence. Even before the law is passed, they are trying to enforce it. It is an insult to the Parliament. It is cheating the people of this country,” KCR fumed, adding Telangana will not implement the reforms proposed by the Centre.
KCR said Modi openly campaigned for former US president Donald Trump during his 2019 'Howdy Modi' programme in Houston. "Is the US election some Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation election? How can Modi give a call for ‘Abki baar Trump sarkar' from US soil?” he questioned, saying that India lost its respect now after Trump's defeat.
He demanded that the Constitution has to be changed so as to increase the reservation to Dalits whose population has gone up to 19% in the country.
Hinting a major shift in his stance towards Congress, KCR said all forces have to unite to shunt out the BJP as its continuation in the country will ruin the country. He also revealed that he will soon have meetings with his Maharashtra and West Bengal counterparts Uddhav Thackeray and Mamata Banerjee, as part of efforts to unite various political parties. KCR said Mamata Banerjee called him and they had a discussion over phone. He said Thackeray was also waiting for him and he may go to Mumbai anytime.
The TRS chief said he was sharing views with all the leaders and ultimately all together will decide whether it should be the national party or front. "I promise you one thing. I will play a major role in that," he said. Asked if he will work with the Congress, KCR said he cannot predict anything. "I cannot predict anything like that. All forces have to unite and shunt out BJP. First we have to do this, later whatever is to happen will happen," he said.
Before the 2019 elections, the TRS chief had met leaders of various parties to cobble together a front as an alternative to both the BJP and the Congress.
"Being a political leader before the 2019 elections I made my efforts. I met several political leaders and shared my views with them. I gave them a lot of literature. We mooted our ideas. We tried our best but things went in a different way and ultimately, the BJP came back in power. Situation is now proving disastrous for the nation. Day by day the situation is worsening," he said.
For a second consecutive day, KCR condemned Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's offensive comments on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. He also slammed BJP for toppling Congress governments in Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh to capture power despite not getting the public mandate. Lashing out at the Modi government, KCR said people, especially youth should rise to save the country. He voiced concern over the attempts being made to create trouble in the name of religion and warned that this could lead to a civil war-like situation.
Defending his earlier remarks on ‘rewriting’ the Constitution, KCR said he meant to bring in changes so that reservation for Dalits can be enhanced in accordance with the rise in their population, and to tackle the Union government encroaching into state governments’ affairs among other issues.
With PTI and IANS inputs