Rahul says TS graft capital
Likens KCR with PM in giving false promises, cheating people
Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday termed Telangana state as the ‘graft capital of India’.
He equated Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao in giving “false promises” to win the 2014 elections and “cheating” the people later. He also drew parallels between Mr Modi and Mr Rao saying that both worked for the benefit of a few rich people but had no concern for farmers or common people.
Addressing an impressive public meeting in Sherilingampally organised by TPCC, Mr Gandhi said, “The functioning of the Modi government at the Centre and KCR government in Telangana are the same. Modi promised to deposit `15 lakh in the bank accounts of every person. KCR promised 2BHK houses for 24 lakh people, free 3-acre agriculture land for Dalits, a job for each family. Both Modi and KCR did not fulfill these promises and cheated people.”
He also came down heavily on the TRS government accusing it of bringing ‘family rule’ in Telangana. He exuded confidence that Congress would wrest power at the Centre and in Telugu States in 2019.
Making a searing attack on the multiple interest slabs of the Goods and Service Tax (GST) imposed by the Modi-led NDA government, that has burdened especially the small- and medium-sized businesses, AICC president Rahul Gandhi said that his government will review the five-slab GST by bringing the interest rate under a uniform table, if elected to power in 2019.
The “Gabbar Singh Tax” would be restored to GST that would help smallscale businessmen, he said
Mr Gandhi is on a twoday visit to Hyderabad, his first stop in the city was a meet with women of Self Help Groups who congregated at Shamshabad on Monday afternoon. In a 60minute question and answer session, Rahul took six questions from women all concerning issues of interest- free loans, employment, health, education and pension scheme.
Ms Madhavi from Sanga Reddy raised the issue of 'Vaddi Leni Runalu' (interest-free loans), she told Mr Gandhi, that the TRS government has not released funds to the banks for the last two years and the ‘Vaddi Leni Runalu’ has become a burden to 4.5 lakh SHGs. The arrears amounting to `1,050 crore has to be paid to banks by the TRS government. What will the Congress government do if elected, she asked.
In a reply to Madhavi, Rahul Gandhi took a jibe at Prime Minister Modi and Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, he said, “The Modi sarkar has cancelled the debt of 15 industrialist amounting to 2.5 lakh crore and bailed them out of financial burden, while rich business doers get multicrore loans but the farmers and commoners have to struggle for financial assistance. Modi promised to give employment to 2 crore youth while KCR said 10,000 jobs will be created, four years down of nothing has materialised. Telangana is under the grip of a single family who solely benefit financially. The Congress will strengthen the women at grass-roots level by improving the credits and also waiver farmer loans'.
“PM Modi increased the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Farmers across India by `10,000 crore but the Congress Government in Karnataka waived Farmer debts of `30,000 crore,” he said.
Rahul’s first stop in the city was a meet with women of Self Help Groups who congregated at Shamshabad on Monday afternoon.