Indira Gandhi-led Cong govt plagued by starvation deaths, encounters, alleges Chandrasekhar Rao

Alampur/Kollapur (T’gana), BRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday tore into Congress, alleging that the former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s regime was plagued by starvation deaths, naxal movements and encounters. Addressing rallies in the state, Rao, also known as KCR, said the Congress leaders should feel ashamed to seek votes as they were not able to provide drinking water during their rule even when the Krishna river was flowing nearby at Kollapur. The Chief Minister further alleged that the grand old party delayed the formation of Telangana and even tried to split the BRS party (then TRS) besides purchasing its MLAs.

Taking a swipe at the Congress for invoking late Indira Gandhi, he said, “Congress promises to bring Indiramma Rajyam in Telangana… What happened during Indiramma Rajyam (Indira’s rule)? Hunger and only hunger deaths, Naxalite movements, people were shot dead and encounters… this is what happened throughout Indiramma Rajyam.” Rao recalled that until former Chief Minister NT Rama Rao (undivided Andhra Pradesh) came to power and offered rice at Rs 2 per kg to people, it was only a life of hunger.

“There is no regime worse than that of Indiramma… they have looted and left people in the lurch,” the CM said. Rao asked people to compare the 50 years Congress rule with that of 10 years of BRS government and see for themselves the development that took place under his regime.

Raking up the merger issue, he alleged that it was Congress party that merged Telangana and Andhra Pradesh without the consent of people here resulting in sufferings for 50 years.

It was the BRS government that increased the social pensions to up to Rs 2000, which were just meagre before 2014, he added. He promised to enhance the existing social pension and the amount given under Rythu Bandhu scheme in a phased manner if the BRS government is voted to power again.

Rao claimed that Telangana is the only state which does not impose irrigation water tax on farmers in the country. He alleged that he refused to implement a central government “order” to install meters on agriculture pump sets despite Telangana losing Rs 25,000 crore fund from the Centre during the last five years. KCR said right from former AICC president Rahul Gandhi to local leaders are stating that the Congress party, if voted to power, ‘Dharani’, an integrated land management portal, “will be thrown in the Bay of Bengal” which may bring back the regime of middlemen and corrupt officials.