Except dialogues and wearing turban, PM Modi delivered nothing in I-Day speech: KCR
Vikarabad (Telangana) (PTI): Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Tuesday came down heavily on Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying the latter said nothing worthwhile during his Independence Day speech except delivering "dialogues" and displaying a long turban around his head.
Speaking at a public meeting here, Rao, popularly known as KCR, slammed the Prime Minister for his remarks on freebies saying that no state in the country is implementing welfare measures that are done in Telangana.
"Yesterday I also was listening to the PM's speech. Anyway, they did nothing for eight years, I thought they would do something for the remaining two years. There was nothing in the whole one-hour speech, except dialogues and a scarf around his head, dress up, there was nothing. No new scheme was announced. Not even a single word about the welfare of the country," the Telangana Chief Minister charged.
In line with the "Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav" celebrations, Modi on Monday wore a white "safa" with tricolour stripes and a long trail for his 76th Independence Day look.
Attacking Modi, Rao alleged that the Centre is forcing the states to fix meters for pumpsets and also import coal even when the commodity is available at a cheaper price in India.
Referring to some BJP activists who tried to protest when the CM's convoy was passing, he said people of Vikarabad should pose questions to these saffron party workers as to what Modi did during the past eight years of rule.
"I am asking the Prime Minister what you have done in the past eight years. Farmers? Women? Tribals? Muslims and Dalits? Which section as benefitted? None. On top of that, when the state governments within their limits are implementing some welfare measures, they are called freebies and should be discontinued," Rao charged.
He claimed that some of the neighbouring villages of Karnataka wanted to merge with Telangana being attracted by the welfare measures being implemented and developmental work here.
He said Telangana suffered a lot for 58 years when it was part of united Andhra Pradesh.
According to him, though Telangana is growing, it is also equally important that the centre's growth should also match with that of the state. Otherwise the overall development will be impacted.
"Even if the state is progressing, if the Centre is not progressing the required growth will not come. So, a government which respects the states should come (to power) at the Centre. Unemployment is growing, the rupee is depreciating. We will have to send this government at the centre home and bring our own government," he opined.
Earlier, the Chief Minister inaugurated a new District Collectorate complex and laid the foundation for a medical college here.
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'Rear-guard action': BJP over Mamata accepting sports minister's resignation after Messi event
New Delhi (PTI): The BJP on Tuesday alleged that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's accepting Aroop Biswas' resignation as the state sports minister is nothing but a "rear-guard action" to douse public anger over the mismanagement of football icon Lionel Messi's event last week.
BJP co-in-charge for West Bengal Amit Malviya alleged that this is also an "open confession" that the Messi event fiasco was not accidental but a government-manufactured disaster, borne out of the poor governance of Banerjee, her ministers and the state bureaucracy.
Banerjee on Tuesday accepted Biswas' resignation as the sports minister in the wake of the controversy over the mismanagement of football icon Messi's event last week, a senior leader of the ruling TMC said.
Biswas, who had written to the chief minister seeking to be relieved of his responsibilities as sports minister, will continue as a cabinet minister, retaining charge of the power department.
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Reacting to the development, Malviya said in a post on X, "TMC Sports Minister Aroop Biswas resigns after the Messi fiasco and Mamata Banerjee accepts it in record time."
"Do not mistake this for accountability; this is nothing but a rear-guard action to douse public anger. anger! This is not 'Raj Dharma'," he added.
The BJP leader alleged that the incident was the outcome of "loot" of common people which is "so synonymous" with the TMC.
The incident was also the outcome of the "shameless VIP culture that TMC thrives on and deep-rooted cronyism promoted by Banerjee," he charged.
Malviya further alleged that Biswas' resignation exposes a "collective failure of Mamata Banerjee, her partisan bureaucracy, and her crony cabinet".
"This is a symbolic sacrifice, a political hoax, soon to be buried under layers of bureaucracy, with no justice, no accountability, and no remorse," the BJP leader said, adding, "No resignation will bring back the time lost, the money wasted, or the stolen chance for football lovers to witness Messi in Kolkata."
