Hyderabad, March 17 Launching a sharp attack on the Telangana government, BRS Working President K T Rama Rao accused the ruling Congress of "betraying" people by "failing" to fulfill its poll guarantees, including a monthly assistance of Rs 2,500 for poor women.
Rama Rao and cabinet ministers, including Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, engaged in a heated debate during the assembly session on a motion of thanks to the Governor's address.
According to the BRS leader, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy had publicly stated that the "six guarantees" promised by the Congress would be given legal status and had even signed a file to that effect. However, the promise of legal backing remains unfulfilled.
The file signed by the Chief Minister granting legal status to the six guarantees remains untraceable. If such an important document has disappeared, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) must be constituted immediately to trace it.
"India has won the T20 World Cup recently. If there is a 420 World Cup, these people (Congress) would win. There is no doubt about it," he said.
Rama Rao recalled the Congress advertisement before the 2023 assembly polls that every family would benefit to the tune of Rs 2.50 lakh every year following the implementation of its election promises.
"Can Congress now show a single family which received the benefit after it came to power?," Rama Rao asked.
The BRS leader alleged that the Congress also did not implement its promises, including increasing social security pensions to Rs 4,000 per month, Rs 6,000 pension to Divyangjan, financial assistance of Rs 2,500 to poor women and unemployment dole of Rs 4,000.
He accused the government of "financial mismanagement, diversion of funds" and prioritising political propaganda over development.
Rama Rao also declared that he would resign from his post if the government proved that it successfully disbursed interest-free loans of Rs 57,000 crores to women.
In response, Panchayat Raj Minister D Anasuya Seethakka said the government has indeed provided Rs 57,000 crores to the women Self Help Groups (SHG) through Stree Nidhi Credit Cooperative Federation and others.
Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka noted that 4.50 lakh houses under the 'Indiramma' housing scheme for poor, are being built at a cost of Rs 22,500 crores.
Under the 'Rythu Bharosa' investment support scheme for farmers, Rs 9,000 crores were deposited in nine days by the Congress government, he added.
The bonus for agricultural crops disbursed by the government led to farmers getting an income of Rs 25,000 per acre, he said.
The BRS, which was in power for 10 years "betrayed" people over its promises, including double bedroom houses for poor, distribution of three acres of land to landless poor, making a Dalit leader as Chief Minister and job for every household, Vikramarka said.
State Roads and Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy alleged that the BRS did not sanction any new PDS ration cards for poor despite being in power for 10 years.
The Congress government is now providing fine variety rice (against coarse variety) after sanctioning new ration cards, he said.