TRS against special powers to Governor

Move smacks of a direct intervention in the affairs of the State government: KCR. Maintenance of law and order was a State subject over which the Governors should not have a role.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao holding a meeting with MPs at his Camp Office in Hyderabad on Sunday to discuss issues to be taken up in Parliament. PHOTO: By Arrangement

The ruling TRS has decided to oppose a proposal of the Union Home Ministry to give special powers to the Governor in matters related to the functioning of the police in Hyderabad by amending business rules of the State government.

The Ministry had recently circulated the draft rules and sought views of the State government on empowering the Governor to act in matters of the police in Hyderabad such as transfers of officers and scrutiny of files of crime investigation.

Threat to ties with Centre

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao felt that the move was a direct intervention in the affairs of the State government and a threat to Centre-State relations. It should be opposed in the House, he told the MPs at their meeting on the eve of the commencement of the budget session of Parliament from Monday.

Sources said Mr. Rao explained that the Centre’s move could become a precedent and extended to other States if not opposed. Maintenance of law and order was a State subject over which the Governors should not have a role. He asked the TRS MPs to take the support of other regional parties when they stage a protest on the floor of the House.

Mr. Rao also wanted the MPs to protest against the amendment Bill to the AP Reorganisation Act which will be moved by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh seeking transfer of seven mandals of Khammam to Andhra Pradesh. They should mount pressure on the Centre for more projects to the State in the railway budget.

Bogus ration cards

Addressing the newly elected zilla parishad and mandal parishad presidents earlier, Mr. Rao referred to his plan to weed out white ration cards as they were far in excess of the households in the State. He said there were only 84 lakh families but 90 lakh white cards and 15 lakh pink cards were in circulation. There were also irregularities in the weaker sections housing as all the families in some villages were sanctioned new houses. It meant that people who owned houses already got new units. They took money from the government but did not construct houses.

He asked the leaders not to show favouritism in extending government benefits and warned of action if it came to his notice. They should prepare an indent of requirements in every village and focus on development. It was only to ensure development of the State that he assumed Chief Ministership.