The Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee has announced its resolve to stop dismantling of the existing Secretariat complex asserting that the party would explore various available options in this direction.
The Congress alleged that the decision to dismantle the existing complex exposed Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s “dictatorial attitude”. The party was therefore determined to stop wastage of huge amount of public money.
A team of senior Congress leaders led by Congress Legislature Party leader Mallu Bhattivikramarka on Monday visited different blocks in the Secretariat that were tipped to be dismantled paving the way for construction of the new complex. The delegation consisted of Member of Parliament A. Revanth Reddy, MLC T. Jeevan Reddy, MLAs D. Sridhar Babu and D. Seethakka and senior leader V. Hanumanth Rao, among others.
The leaders alleged that the Chief Minister was acting as per his whims and fancies as was evident from his moves to dismantle the existing blocks in the name of Vaastu considerations. They questioned the rationale behind the government’s decision to dismantle the existing structures when they were set to last for several decades. “Moreover, there is adequate space available since the neighbouring AP has handed over the blocks in its possession,” Mr. Vikramarka said.
Set priorities right
He advised the government to fix its priorities right and spend the public money judiciously to address unemployment and other issues rather than wasting it in the name of Vaastu considerations.
Mr. Revanth Reddy charged the Chief Minister with wasting valuable public money for his “superstitious beliefs”. Though the government was claiming that the construction of the new secretariat complex would cost around ₹ 400 crore, the expenditure could in fact go beyond ₹1,000 crore.
The Congress was determined to oppose the dismantling of the existing infrastructure, he said asserting that the government could instead spend the money for development of school buildings and residential hostels. He recalled the Chief Minister’s promise of constructing a befitting memorial for martyrs who laid down their lives for the cause of separate Statehood and said no step had been initiated in this direction so far.
“Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao, however, spent huge money for the construction of Pragati Bhavan,” he said exhorting the party cadre to be prepared for sustained struggle to counter the government.
Mr. Jeevan Reddy alleged that the Chief Minister proposed construction of new complex to establish his trademark rather than solving issues like pay revision of employees. The absence of priorities for the government could be seen from the fact that it was yet to convene a meeting of the bankers in spite of the commencement of Kharif season.
