Hyderabad: Slamming the Union Budget as 'Kursi Bachao Budget', Telangana Chief minister A Revanth Reddy on Tuesday said 'Sab Ka Saath Sab Ka Vikas' has been turned into a bogus slogan. “The Prime Minister is not considering Telangana part of Vikasit Bharat. It is not the Viksit Bharat Budget and only the ‘Kursi Bachao Budget’,” Revanth Reddy told reporters.
He also added that the Union Government adopted a vindictive attitude towards Telangana in the Vikasit Bharat 2024 budget. Revanth Reddy recollected that he met the Prime Minister personally three times and requested him to sanction funds for Telangana development.
“I appealed to the Prime minister to maintain good relations between the centre and state without discrimination and disputes. Urged the PM to play a big brother role for Telangana development during the visit to the state. Requested him to allocate funds without discrimination. The word Telangana is banned in the entire budget," he said, adding that the Centre "does not like to utter Telangana word."
"Telangana people never expected the Centre to pursue a vindictive approach against the state. Centre sanctioned funds to Andhra Pradesh as per the AP Reorganization act. Why is the Telangana state not provided allocations under the same act? No funds for Musi Riverfront development project and also Regional Ring Road. The union budget did not mention ITIR,” he said.
He pointed out that except Bihar and AP, no funds have been allocated for the development of other states. Never witnessed such discrimination and vindictive approach. BJP needs only votes and seats from Telangana. The ruling party at the centre does not care about state development, he observed.
“Union Minister G Kishan Reddy should be held responsible for the injustice meted to Telangana in the union budget. I demand Kishan Reddy to resign from the Union Cabinet in protest against the centre’s indifference towards Telangana in the allocation of funds. Why should Kishan Reddy continue in the union cabinet even after the centre rejected the demand for an IIM to the state. We considered the PM as a big brother but the latter was acting wickedly. The prime minister gave priority to some states in the allocations under quid pro quo to save his chair. Congress will stage a protest in Parliament for Telangana rights. AP Reorganization act applies to not only AP but also Telangana state,” he said.
Revanth Reddy further demanded the Centre to revise the budget allocations and sanction funds to Bayyaram steel plant, Kazipet coach factory, Palamuru project, metro expansion and Musi riverfront development project. If failed, the BJP will see political fall in Telangana, he warned.
He also said that the state assembly will debate the injustice meted to Telangana in the Central Budget on Wednesday. “We will expose the shady deals entered by some political parties who are conspiring for reuniting two Telugu states. I suggest KCR participate in the discussion in the Legislative Assembly on the rights and funds to Telangana. Otherwise, it will give an impression that KCR and Modi had colluded with each other,” he said.