SIR Targets Poor, Minorities' Rights: Revanth Reddy

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy today alleged that the BJP-led Union government was attempting to deprive the poor and minorities of their voting rights in the name of a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

"If the poor lose their right to vote, they will also be deprived of ration cards, Aadhaar cards and welfare schemes. There is a big conspiracy behind the so-called purification of voter lists in the name of SIR," Reddy said while addressing a TPCC (Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee) meeting at Gandhi Bhavan.

Also launching a scathing attack on the Union government for replacing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) with a new employment law, the Chief Minister said that nearly 80% of the country's 140 crore population benefited from the scheme introduced by the Congress. He alleged that the Modi government was troubling the poor by changing the policy.

"The MGNREGS restored the self-respect of the poor. The Telugu States served as a launch pad for the scheme. Now, changes are being made to employ workers under corporate control at lower wages. Prime Minister Modi and corporate houses have hatched a big conspiracy," he claimed.

Questioning the Modi government's VB-G RAM G (Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar and Aajeevika Mission Gramin) scheme that will replace the MGNREGS, he said that even its name created confusion. "And where is Viksit Bharat in the country, anyway? We will fight until MGNREGS is restored," he said.

The Chief Minister called upon party leaders to organise Gram Sabhas in all villages from January 20 to 30 and pass resolutions opposing the new law. He said that MLAs and ministers should take constituency-wise responsibility, and an in-charge should be appointed for every mandal. He said that he himself would take responsibility for one mandal.

He also said that the Congress would organise public meetings in nine districts from February 3, and that Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi would be invited to a massive public meeting in Mulugu.

Reddy also told leaders to take responsibility for mobilising party workers for the upcoming municipal elections. He claimed that the Congress had won 66% of the seats in the recent gram panchayat elections, and would register a resounding victory in the municipal elections as well.

Reddy said that the Congress made him the Chief Minister of Telangana, and that he was ready to undertake door-to-door campaigns for the party. "Rahul Gandhi should be made Prime Minister at this crucial time. Telangana will stand by Rahul Gandhi, and everyone must work hard to defeat Modi and make Rahul Gandhi the Prime Minister," he said.