Congress has used Muslims only as vote bank, alleges KCR

Hyderabad, Nov 15 (PTI) Alleging that the Congress only used Muslims as vote bank, BRS president and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Wednesday asked under whose watch the demolition of Babri Masjid happened.

Rao, who addressed an election rally at Nizamabad, made a veiled reference to Rahul Gandhi's 'mohabbat ki dukan' comments.

If one is secular, it should be reflected in one's work, said Rao, also known as KCR.

'We (BRS) treat everyone equally irrespective of religion and community. Congress had used you (Muslims) only as a vote bank. Even today, the Congress does drama. They say we will close the 'dukaan' (shop) of hate. I am asking under whose watch Babri Masjid's martyrdom happened? Who got it done? It needs to be understood,' he said.

'They will make you listen to sweet words... If you are secular, you should remain secular throughout life. You should express it through your work,' he said.

During the 10 years of the Congress regime in undivided Andhra Pradesh before the formation of Telangana, only Rs 2,000 crore was spent on the welfare of minorities, whereas the BRS government spent Rs 12,000 crore.

No communal riots have happened during the BRS regime since 2014 in the state, while such riots and curfews were the order of the day during the Congress government, he claimed.

Telangana would remain secular as long as KCR is alive, he said.

'Nobody can separate. We will work together. Muslims would work for Hindus and Hindus would work for Muslims. We will take forward our state like two brothers,' he said.

KCR also alleged that the BJP triggers animosities among people with a communal mindset.

Telangana is number one in the country in per capita income, he said.

The two national parties (Congress and BJP) never worked sincerely for Telangana but hurt its interests, he alleged.

Saying that a coalition government is going to be formed in the country after 2024, Rao said the BRS can wield influence in Delhi if it wins all Lok Sabha seats (in state). There are 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana.

Rao, who also addressed rallies at Bodhan, Yellareddy and Medak, claimed as to why should even a single vote be cast in favour of the saffron party when the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre did not sanction even a single new medical college and Navodaya Vidyalaya to Telangana.

'BJP cheated us so much. 157 medical colleges were established in India. I have written 100 letters to Prime Minister Modi. Not even a single medical college was given to us,' he said.

'Navodaya Vidyalayas should be given as per the number of districts. This is legislation passed in Parliament. Modi, violating the law, did not give us a single Navodaya school though I had asked 100 times,' he said.

KCR alleged that Congress leaders favoured only three hours of power supply to farmers against the 24-hour free supply being provided by his government and that they termed his government's 'Rythu Bandhu' investment support scheme for farmers as 'wasteful expenditure'. PTI SJR VVK KH