Joining the issue on the Centre-State relations, the Congress Chief Minister of Telangana A Revanth Reddy has accused the NDA government of discriminating against the southern states.
While delivering a keynote address at a meeting organised by a media house in Hyderabad, he sought to highlight the contrasting style of functioning of the National Democratic Alliance and Congress regimes.
The southern states, he claimed, were being meted out injustice during the present NDA regime, whereas, during the Congress rule in the past, both north and south Indian states were treated equal.
“Many big projects like Bhakranangal and Nagarjuna Sagar projects were sanctioned during the Congress rule for the development of the country. New universities were also established and revolutionary changes were introduced in the education system. To ensure food security, many reforms were introduced with a slogan of ‘Garibi Hatao’ during the Indira Gandhi regime. Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi reduced the voting age to 18 from 21 years. Rajiv Gandhi also brought IT revolution and introduced reforms in the Telecom sector,” he said.
Congress led UPA provided services in technology, telecom and other sectors in the last 30 years. The UPA regime also introduced many revolutionary changes in the country.
“Former Prime Ministers Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, PV Narsimha Rao and Manmohan Singh brought many reforms and revolutionary changes in this country. What are the revolutionary changes brought by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who became the PM for the third consecutive time? What services Modi rendered to the country in his rule ? Who benefited from Modi rule? The BJP regime toppled the governments and divided the political parties,” he said.
The Chief Minister observed that Congress followed the tradition of appointing the prime minister from North India and the President from South India. Prime Minister Modi's rule broke this tradition. Modi's government is showing indifference towards South India which is being used only to come to power. The Congress government has done a lot of good to the south. The NDA government has been collecting huge taxes from the south and giving nothing in return, he alleged.
“The union government is discriminating against the southern states. How can the BJP ask for votes from South India when the Centre did not give adequate funds? Southern states are paying huge taxes compared to their northern counterparts but getting back a paltry share. We are giving ₹1 to the centre and getting only 40 paise. UP is getting ₹7 and Bihar is receiving ₹6 as against the contribution of ₹ 1 as tax collection. Despite welcoming the central government's decisions, the southern states are not getting their due share in the funds. South India is ignored because Prime Minister Modi doesn’t belong to this region,” Reddy said.
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