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‘Only lip service’: Telangana minister KTR lambasts Modi over unemployment
In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Telangana minister KT Rama Rao said that it is due to the indecisiveness of the BJP-led Centre that India today is witnessing the highest unemployment in 45 years.
Telangana minister and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) working president KT Rama Rao has written an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, raising a few questions about the country’s unemployment and demanding jobs for youth of his state. He has also raised questions regarding privatisation of government jobs.
Taking to Twitter, Rao, popularly known as KTR, said Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government at the Centre has failed miserably in creating jobs for the youth of the nation. The Telangana minister demanded that the central government fill up the 16 lakh government jobs that are currently vacant.
KTR asked the Prime Minister about the promised two crore annual jobs for the youth of Telangana, and also sought answers for the loss of employment opportunities owing to privatisation of government units.
"How many of the promised two crore jobs per year were created or will be created for the youth of Telangana? What answers do you have for the loss of employment opportunities caused due to selling of government assets to private entities?" he asked in the letter.
Further, he said that demonetisation and lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19) had severely affected the jobs and livelihood of citizens.
“There are only 'pakoda' employment opportunities in the country today, all thanks to the inefficient policies of the union government,” KTR's letter, loosely translated from Telugu, read.
The minister said that due to the Centre's indecisiveness, India is currently witnessing the highest unemployment rate in 45 years.
KTR further said that on the one hand, Modi makes statements such as “sabka saath, sabka vikas”, but on the other hand, his party leaders "believe and act more on the lines of ‘sabko satyanash’”.
“This attitude of yours is becoming a threat to the Indians not only in the country but outside the country as well. Due to this, the country is going backwards in development. As a result, crores of people are losing their jobs,” the minister wrote.
He asked Modi how is he going to “recognise and reward” the Telangana government that is giving “major support to the country's economy”. “Do you have an answer to the demand we have been making on behalf of Telangana youth for eight years to revive the Hyderabad ITIR project or give another special package as an alternative?” his letter added.
Taking a dig at Modi's multiple visits to Telangana, KTR said that he only comes to the southern state and “extends lip service” but not a “penny has been allocated” to the southern state.
“At least now, give clarity on employment creation for the youth of the country. Respond to the questions I have asked on behalf of the youth of our country,” the minister wrote in the letter.
KTR's latest attack on the BJP and Modi can be seen as yet another sign of continuing distance between the saffron camp and the TRS. Recently, the Telangana minister slammed the BJP over its former spokespersons Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal's statements on Prophet Mohammed. Referring to several Muslim nations, including Qatar and Saudi Arabia - with whom India shares close ties, condemning Sharma and Jindal's remarks, KTR asked Modi why India “as a country” needs to apologise to the international community for the “hate speeches of BJP bigots”.
“Modi Ji, your silence was deafening and shocking when BJP MP Pragya Singh hailed assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. Let me remind you sir; what you permit is what you promote,” KTR wrote in a series of tweets earlier this week.
