Centre Discriminates Against South: Revanth Reddy

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy today criticized the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Union government for "discriminating" against Southern states in the allocation of funds and projects.

Speaking at the "Southern Rising Summit 2024" hosted by ABP Network, the Chief Minister said that the NDA government was biased against Southern States. He added that both the North and the South benefited under the Congress-led Union governments of the past, but that the current NDA administration had marginalized the South.

"The Union government is showing partiality, providing limited support to the Southern States compared to the Northern ones. Prime Minister Modi's administration has underfunded the South, even though these States contribute more in taxes," he said.

"For every rupee that the South sends to the Centre only 40 paise is returned, whereas States like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar receive substantial returns - 7 and 6 rupees respectively per rupee contributed. This stark disparity indicates the Union government's indifference toward the South, possibly due to Modi's Northern background," he argued.

The Chief Minister also criticized the deviation from the Congress-era tradition of balancing power between the regions. "The previous Congress governments at the Centre would elect a President from the South if the Prime Minister was from the North, resulting in leaders like Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy and A P J Abdul Kalam serving as Presidents. Under the NDA government, this balance has been disregarded, with the focus solely on vote banks," Reddy said.

He took the opportunity to announce the State government's plan to develop Bapu Ghat as an international centre for Gandhian ideology. "Bapu Ghat will be developed to draw global attention to Hyderabad. The project will be located at the confluence of the Isa and Musa rivers, featuring a giant statue of Gandhi, similar to the Sardar Patel statue," Reddy said.

The Chief Minister also asked why the BJP opposed the Musi rejuvenation project and the Bapu Ghat development, and said that as Gandhi's ideological descendants, the Congress leaders of the State would carry forward these initiatives.