Opposition Playing Politics On Bathukamma Saris: KTR

Telangana IT Minister K T Rama Rao today claimed that it was the opposition parties that were behind the Bathukamma sari-burning incidents.

Addressing a press conference at the Secretariat after his return from Sircilla, KTR lashed out at the the Congress and the Telugu Desam Party for indulging in "third grade politics" and creating ruckuses at various Bathukamma sari distribution programs, without concern for the poor women who the saries were intended to benefit.

They parties had hatched a plan well in advance to sabotage the free sari scheme and create pandemonium at several places, he said.

He also alleged that the opposition was carrying out a misinformation campaign over the sari scheme through the social media to tarnish the image of the government. The opposition always had the option of bringing any issues they had to the notice of the government, but was clearly choosing to spreading panic among the women through social media, he said.

The women were happy with the saris and their quality, and the few incidents of protests were the handiwork of the opposition, the minister claimed. He said that the parties were unable to digest the good programs of his government, and were bent on slinging mud at every scheme, this being the latest incident reflecting their desperation.

Those who did not like the saris could simply choose not to take them, he said.

As for the saris being polyester products from Surat instead of Sircilla handloom weaves as promised, he said that 50% of the saris had been outsourced to Surat manufacturers as Sircilla had only 40,000 looms and the scheme was decided upon only 3 months back. From the next year the entire production would happen in Telangana itself, he said.