KCR oversees the woes of Telangana from his bulletproof confines

Many of our political leaders seem to become seriously disconnected from reality once they assume office. In a game where perception matters as much as action, they seem out of sync with the people’s aspirations and indeed their sufferings. Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao seems to take the cake, the plate and the trimmings in this regard if the acquisitions he has made are anything to go by. He travels in bullet-proof luxury cars and for a greater connect with people he uses a luxury bus worth ₹5 crore. But danger, it appears lurks, in all quarters, so he has bullet-proofed his bathroom.

His residence, spread over one lakh-square feet is of course, bulletproof and fitted with gadgets and gizmos aimed at safeguarding the chief minister all at great cost to the taxpayer.

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It is no one’s case that any chances can be taken with the chief minister’s security, but his obsession with vaastu and multi-crore offerings in temples and conducting mega havans is in sharp contrast to the fact that his fledgling state has had three consecutive droughts. The water crisis has hit not just rural areas but even the capital Hyderabad. This has led to a huge number of farmer suicides and migration from rural areas. Cattle have been sold at a fraction of their price and foodgrain and rice production is far below that needed for consumption. Rao and his administration claim that they are taking measures and are working on a lasting solution. But his words seem a little hollow given his preoccupation with his own safety and security. The grain centres and food kitchens are in no way enough to cope with the magnitude of the problem that people in rural areas are facing.

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It is not as though other VIPs do not face threats to their lives. But from day one, the Telanagana CM has devoted an enormous amount of money and time propitiating the gods and reconstructing buildings in turn with vaastu. So much so, that he has actually employed a vaastu consultant.

The problems of Telangana will not ease unless proper and sustained administrative measures are taken. The sight of the CM splashing out so much on himself while people are short of food and water cannot endear him to too many. But then, maybe he is of the opinion that there is nothing another offering to the gods cannot solve.

@lalitapanicker