Rao, who addressed poll rallies at Nirmal, Balkonda and Dharmapuri, said the Dalit community faced discrimination even at the time of Independence and Dalits faced untouchability and lived in ghettos, which was “not good for the human race”. Had Dalit welfare been thought about effectively when Jawaharlal Nehru became Prime Minister, the conditions of Dalits would not be what it is, the BRS chief said on Thursday, criticising Congress’s years in power.
“Today, Congress makes tall claims. They speak a lot. If Dalits (welfare) were thought about effectively when Jawaharlal Nehru became Prime Minister, why would Dalits be like this in our country?,” Rao asked. Rao said he was the one who introduced the pioneering ‘Dalit Bandhu’ scheme (grant of Rs 10 lakh per Dalit household) in the country. Even though the government may not be able to provide the benefit to all beneficiaries at once, he said it was his responsibility to see that all Dalit families get the benefit, even if it is in a phased-manner.
Speaking about farmer welfare, he alleged that Congress MP N Uttam Kumar Reddy saw the ‘Rythu Bandhu’ investment support scheme for farmers as wasteful expenditure and PCC president A Revanth Reddy felt that three hours of free power supply is enough for farm sector against the 24-hour supply being provided by the BRS government. “If Congress wins by mistake, I am saying as I have a responsibility to say, they are not interested in Rythu Bandhu, they don’t like 24-hour power supply. They don’t like depositing money in the accounts of farmers. Again, middlemen would come.
“Only if BRS wins, this development would continue sustainably,” he said. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi talked about abolishing the ‘Dharani’ integrated land records management system brought in by the BRS government, which eliminated middlemen and disputes over lands of farmers, he said.
If ‘Dharani’ is abolished, how would direct benefit transfers under schemes like ‘Rythu Bandhu’ happen, he asked. Rao alleged that Prime Minister Narendra is obsessed with privatisation and that railways, ports and the power sector are being handed over to private companies.
In the name of reforms, the NDA government sought to install meters for agriculture pump sets so that farmers could be charged, he claimed. However, he refused to comply with it, he said, adding that the Centre made a cut of Rs 5,000 crore per annum crore in funds due to the state over the issue. Though the state suffered a loss of Rs 25,000 crore, he did not install the meters on farmers’ pumpsets, he said.
The chief ministers of Congress and BJP-ruled states such as Uttar Pradesh come to Telangana and deliver speeches when the situation in their states leaves much to be desired, he charged. The opposition coming to power would sound the death knell for schemes like Rythu Bandhu and Dalit Bandhu, he claimed.
Stating that he had fought for the people for the past 24 years, first for the formation of Telangana and later for the state’s progress, he said the people should now fight and decide (about the future). Though the country became independent 75 years ago, democracy has not become more mature, he said, pointing to the “culture of speaking lies and making any allegations” at the time of elections.
He urged voters to not just go by the candidates, but to also look at the parties fielding them and examine their track record. He also reiterated that Telangana would remain a secular state as long as he is alive.
During his speeches, Rao highlighted the welfare programmes being implemented by his government, including social security pensions and life insurance scheme for farmers, and the progress achieved as seen in Telangana being number one in the country in per capita income.
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