Rahul Gandhi slams KCR govt's over funds, jobs

Congress president Rahul Gandhi said on Tuesday that the movement for Telangana State was revolved around the slogan “Neellu, Needhulu, Niyamakalu” (water, funds and jobs) and the dreams about them have been shattered by the TRS government. Addressing a public meeting at Saroornagar Stadium, he said, “I believe that it was a great dream. Even today, you want your State to prosper with benefits reaching everyone. However, despite formation of Telangana, your dreams are still unrealized.” 

Recalling the supreme sacrifice made by the martyrs for Telangana cause, the Congress president alleged that KCR government did not even fulfill the promises that were made with their families. He said that the Chief Minister had promised to fill one lakh vacancies, but did not give jobs to even 10,000 people. The Fee Reimbursement Scheme, which was introduced by previous Congress regime, has been discontinued.

The Congress chief said that the KCR government had promised KG-to-PG free education, but the school fee in Hyderabad is highest in the country. There has been a 400 per cent increase in the school fee in the last four years, he said. “He will talk about his dreams. But when other people speak about their dreams, they are beaten up,” he said, while mentioning how protests were being disallowed at Jantar Mantar in Delhi and Dharna Chowk in Hyderabad.

Describing small traders, medium and small businesses as the backbone of Telangana’s economy, Rahul said that the Prime Minister has given two major shocks to this backbone. “First one was demonetisation and another was Gabbar Singh Tax aka GST. Once we come to power in 2019, the GST will have only one slab and those things being used by poor would be removed from GST purview,” he announced.

Lauding the works of cadre, the Congress chief assured that the leaders who work at ground level would be given tickets for Assembly and Lok Sabha. Tickets will not be given to party hoppers, he clarified.  Addressing the meeting, TPCC president N Uttam Kumar Reddy accused the TRS government of neglecting the issues of students who played a major role in the State’s formation. He said KCR government had thousands of crores to pay to Andhra contractors in the name of Mission Bhagiratha and Mission Kakatiya. But it had no money to pay the fee dues of lakhs of students. He said over 14 lakh students suffered due to non-paying of fee dues and hundreds of institutions were closed.

Uttam promised that the next Congress government would ensure total fee reimbursement for all students. He said lakhs of new jobs would be created and the unemployed would be paid a monthly allowance of Rs 3,000. Responding to KCR’s question on the criteria to be followed to pay unemployment allowance, he said over 18 lakh students have registered themselves with the Telangana State Public Service Commission (TSPSC). Therefore, he said that the Congress government would provide allowance to at least 10 lakh jobless youth while taking measures to create lakhs of new jobs in private and public sector.