KCR sher in city, billi in Delhi, says Shabbir

■ Alleges that TRS MPs failed to raise issues in Parliament

Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, Mohammed Ali Shabbir, on Friday accused Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao of compromising the interests of Telangana by not mentioning pending issues regarding the state during his recent meeting with central government ministers in Delhi.

“The CM demands `40,000 crore from the Centre when he is in Hyderabad, but asks for only `450 crore when he meets Union ministers in Delhi. This was proved yet again during his ongoing Delhi trip,” Mr Shabbir Ali said at a press conference here.

“KCR is sher (lion) in Hyderabad and billi (cat) in Delhi as he failed to get adequate funding for the state in the Union Budget,” Mr Shabbir Ali said mockingly.

While Andhra Pradesh’s MPs and its ruling Telugu Desam are vociferously fighting for special status, the Telangana Rashtra Samiti MPs and TRS government has failed to voice their protests in Parliament even when just a pittance of `450 crore was granted to the state in the Budget against a demand for `42,000 crore, Mr Shabbir Ali said.

TRS MPs had failed to raise the issues of the Bayyaram steel plant, the Kaleswaram project etc, promised to Telangana in the AP Reorganisation Act, he alleged.

Other areas where the TRS government has failed, according to Mr Shabbir Ali, is in pursuing the 12 per cent reservation for Muslims and 10 per cent for Scheduled Tribes, with the ratification of the bills stuck in Parliament months after they were passed by the state Assembly.

“Where is the bill lying? Is it in the home, law or parliamentary affairs ministry? Please tell us as the Congress wants to raise it during the ensuing Budget Session for ratification. Otherwise, the Congress will take the issue to the public and expose the duplicity and deception of the TRS government,” he said.

Mr Shabbir Ali indicted the TRS government for failing to provide a good minimum support price for red gram, red jowar and turmeric for farmers in Ranga Reddy, Nizamabad and Khammam districts.