TRS Slams BJP Over Liberation Day Remarks

Telangana Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao today slammed the BJP national President Amit Shah for his allegations of corruption against Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and the TRS, and for his remarks against them for not officializing Telangana Liberation Day on September 17.

Addressing the media today, Harish Rao refuted the allegations and the remarks, and accused the Centre of discriminating against Telangana while extending plenty of help to Andhra Pradesh.

The minister said that the Centre had no moral right to allege corruption against them when it itself was reluctant to resolve any of Telangana's issues like the bifurcation of the Hyderabad High Court, granting of National Status to Kaleshwaram and giving a special package in the lines of what was given to AP.

"Can Shah first answer why the Centre was unable to help bifurcate the Hyderabad High Court, and why it was unwilling to accord National Status to Kaleshwaram? We will answer the corruption charges and the Liberation Day problem after that," he said.

"The Centre did not extend a financial package for Telangana. Did Shah speak about this? He will speak only when he is asked to promote the BJP's brand of nationalism so as to win the next elections," he quipped.

He also pooh-poohed Shah's remarks that the BJP would take over Telangana.

Later, other members of the TRS also locked horns with the national BJP President.

TRS MLC Palla Rajeshwar Reddy lashed out at Shah, stating that the latter was noted for his provocative statements.

"Amit Shah should understand that the BJP had no role in Telangana's liberation from the Nizams. Meddling with that issue only shows his desperation," he said.

He also sought to know why the previous Congress or Telugu Desam Party governments did not celebrate Telangana Liberation Day on September 17, and why the BJP had no problem whatsoever back then.

Reacting to Shah's prediction that the BJP would win the next general elections, Reddy said, "It is impossible to saffronize Telangana as long as the TRS remains in this State."

Turning the allegations of corruption against KCR around, other TRS leaders including Rajeshwar Reddy asked Shah to reveal the amount of money he had spent on getting the Congress MLAs in Arunachal Pradesh to defect to the BJP.