Telangana CM Revanth reiterates Centre’s discrimination against southern States

Telangana CM Revanth Reddy criticizes Centre's neglect of southern states, questions BJP's achievements, and slams KCR's leadership.

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy reiterated his allegations that the Centre was looking down the southern States in spite of their significant contribution to the tax pool and said the negligence can be seen from the fact that Uttar Pradesh gets ₹7 and Bihar ₹6 for every ₹1 they pay as taxes while Telangana gets back just ₹40 paise out of every rupee it remits to the Centre in the form of taxes.

This is even though the southern States were welcoming and implementing the decisions taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Government. The Chief Minister expressed these views while speaking at the Southern Rising Summit organised by the ABP Group here on Friday (October 25, 2024).

Substantiating his assertion of discrimination, Mr. Reddy recalled the tradition of selecting the President from South India whenever the Prime Minister hailed from the north. “Mr. Narendra Modi Government has set aside the practice,” he said.

Recalling the developments that were ushered in by successive Congress Prime Ministers who ruled the country, the Chief Minister questioned what Prime Minister Narendra Modi achieved after assuming charge for the third consecutive term. “What kind of revolution was brought in for the people? Which section has benefitted during the BJP’s regime?” he asked.

The BJP Government, he alleged, was bent on destabilising Governments and had neglected the common man and farmers. “But for engineering splits in opposition parties and playing politics of emotion, what did the BJP do for the people? The party is now trying to create north-south divide among the people,” he alleged.

He launched a trenchant attack on Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) president and former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao claiming that Mr. Rao did not visit the State Secretariat even for 10 days during his 10-year rule as also the Assembly despite being the Opposition Leader.

“Why is Mr. Rao not coming out if he has respect for democratic processes? He thinks himself as a feudal lord and people as his slaves and hence, he is abstaining,” said Mr. Reddy. The Congress Government came to power after being elected by the people and it was committed to fulfilling the aspirations of the people. People were keenly watching the developments.