Kalvakuntla Tarakarama Rao, Minister for Urban Development, IT and Industries, who is also the working president of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and considered the ‘number two’ for all practical purposes in Telangana government, has felt that it is the responsibility of the Centre to answer people on the severe economic slowdown, rising inflation and increasing unemployment being faced by the country.
In an interaction with people on a social media platform on Sunday that went on for more than 90 minutes, he reiterated that the State Cabinet would take an appropriate decision on the burning issues of National Register of Citizens (NRC), National Population Register (NPR) and Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). He thanked the netizens for supporting the stand of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) on CAA, wherein it opposed the bill.
Responding to a poser on TRS moves to counter the plans of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to play the Hindu-Muslim communal card to strengthen its base in Telangana, Mr. Rao remarked that the people of Telangana were wise enough to face any agenda and attempts to divide them on the basis of religion. Stating that Telangana was most peaceful State in the country compared to several other States, he said the government would continue to work towards maintaining peace and harmony.
Asked about selective permissions to peaceful protests in Hyderabad, the Minister reminded the netizen about AIMIM and RSS conducting their meetings recently. Reacting to a question whether the Centre was trying divert the attention from economic slowdown, unemployment and increasing inflation for the last five quarters, considered highest during the last 45 years, he said attempts would give only momentary relief to the government but ultimately people would ask for specific answers.
Good beginning
On the simmering issue of three capitals in the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, the TRS working president observed that only the people of that State would decide whether it was correct or not. Sought for a response on the six-month rule of Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy there, he said it was “a good beginning”.
In spite of a weak opposition in Telangana, the TRS had been taking feedback on the performance of the government frequently with the help of 60-lakh strong party workers. Asked to explain about his journey from participating in protests for statehood to Telangana in 2009 to working as a minister in 2019, he termed it as “10-year challenge”.
Stating that Chief Minister and TRS founder-president K. Chandrasekhar Rao was most influential leader in his life, Mr. Rao said winning all the 32 Zilla Parishad chairperson posts earlier this year was a good memory. He interacted with people in detail on wide ranging issues including governance, politics and development besides a few personal ones.
