The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday took strong exception to Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s comments describing the Rs 20 lakh crore economic stimulus package announced by the Centre as “bogus” and “hollow.”
Union minister of state for home G Kishan Reddy said the Telangana chief minister’s comments were irresponsible and unwarranted, at a time when the states and the Centre were supposed to work together as “Team India,” and overcome the crisis arising out of Covid-19 pandemic.
“This is not the time to do politics. It is a challenging time for the Centre and the states to bury their differences and work together to tackle the present crisis. We should focus on bringing the country back to normalcy,” Reddy said in a media interaction through video conference.
Explaining the details of the stimulus package announced by Union finance minister Nirmala Sitaraman, Reddy said KCR should study the package thoroughly before making unwarranted statements.
Stating that the tone and tenor of KCR’s comments were highly objectionable, the Union minister wondered what loss the package had caused for Telangana. “It is in fact a wholesome package aimed at benefitting all the states in a big way, cutting across the regions and parties,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Stating that the tone and tenor of KCR’s comments were highly objectionable, the Union minister wondered what loss the package had caused for Telangana. “It is in fact a wholesome package aimed at benefitting all the states in a big way, cutting across the regions and parties,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}He wondered whether Telangana wouldn’t get new hospitals and diagnostic centres under the new package. “Does it not help thousands of small-scale businesses and shop owners get Mudra loans and ensure work for construction labourers? How can KCR call it a bogus package?” Reddy asked.
Reacting to the Telangana chief minister’s criticism on linking of relaxation of FRBM norms with certain economic reforms, the Union minister argued that the reforms were only aimed at boosting the economy and attracting new investments into the country.
He pointed out that the Telangana government, too, was liking payment of financial assistance to farmers under Rythu Bandhu scheme with reforms in agriculture.
“KCR announced that Rythu Bandhu is applicable only if the farmers cultivate the crops listed by the government. Did we oppose your policy on Rythu Bandhu? If what you are doing is correct, how can you blame the Centre for insisting on reforms? You can’t have this double-standard,” Kishan Reddy said.
BJP Telangana unit spokesman K Krishna Sagar Rao also condemned KCR’s criticism against the Centre’s stimulus package. “We understand the frustration of KCR, as the Central government has imposed certain conditions for using the increased FRBM limits, demands accountability and fiscal discipline,” he said.
Stating that the chief minister’s comments were in bad taste and language was unacceptable, Rao said his party strongly objected to the derogatory language by the CM against the Centre. “He has failed to maintain fiscal discipline, contain corruption and check resource mismanagement, which has bankrupted the state,” he said.