PM’s remarks on Telangana split, COVID spark Opposition ire

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks throughout his reply to the talk on the Movement of Thanks for the President’s Handle to Parliament drew sharp reactions from the primary political events in Telangana and Maharashtra on Tuesday.

In Telangana, the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) and the Congress took sturdy objection to Mr. Modi’s remarks on bifurcation of erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh, demanding an unconditional apology.

State Finance and Well being Minister T. Harish Rao criticised the Prime Minister for “spewing venom” in opposition to Telangana and hurting the feelings of the folks, saying that the Centre had denied the State its due. The Centre was insisting on electrical energy meters for agricultural connections to launch the grants, however the State authorities turned it down, he mentioned. “Chief Minister Okay. Chandrasekhar Rao is in opposition to the set up of meters to farm connections and dedicated to persevering with free energy to ryots,” he mentioned.

State Congress chief A. Revanth Reddy mentioned: “It isn’t acceptable for an individual holding excessive place to boost such irrational points. The feedback on Telangana expose that the Prime Minister has no respect for elected our bodies or Parliament.”

He mentioned the BJP had got here up with the slogan “one vote, two States” in 1998, however deceived the folks after coming to energy the following yr. “The get together which ensured formation of three different States didn’t maintain its dedication on Telangana. The lives of 1,200 plus folks, who died for the reason for Telangana, may have been saved had the BJP stored its promise of bifurcation then,” he mentioned.

COVID unfold

Responding to Mr. Modi’s assertion in regards to the unfold of COVID-19 through the first wave, all three main events in Maharashtra demanded an apology from him and the BJP for making ‘snide’ feedback in opposition to the State. The Congress mentioned it could maintain protests exterior BJP workplaces throughout Maharashtra on Wednesday.

“The Congress get together and our State authorities took steps to assist folks in misery through the first wave of COVID. We supplied them meals, shelter and tickets to take them to their house to allow them to stay with their family members. The BJP and Modi had been busy lighting lamps and banging thalis at the moment. The PM has made enjoyable of staff and their poverty. He has made enjoyable of Maharashtra’s efforts to assist the poor…,” mentioned State Congress president Nana Patole, including that even the BJP leaders within the State ought to protest.

NCP Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule in Delhi mentioned: “Mentioning Maharashtra as an excellent spreader of Corona was not solely unlucky however an insult of voters who had voted BJP in Lok Sabha polls to make you (Modi) Prime Minister.” She mentioned the PM’s speech ought to have supplied path to the nation for future, however as a substitute he had insulted Maharashtra.

Stating that Railways got here underneath the Central authorities, Ms. Sule mentioned: “It was the Centre’s determination to rearrange trains. The then Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and former CM Devendra Fadnavis have been praising the Railways for a similar. Why assault a State?”

“When Shramik Trains began, can the nation neglect how these poor labourers who had been left with no revenue had been being charged for ticket? The State authorities stepped in to pay their fare. If that could be a mistake within the eyes of the PM, prepared to commit this error 100 instances over,” tweeted Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi earlier on Monday.

Defending Mr. Modi, BJP MLA Ashish Shelar accused the three different events of being instrumental in spreading the coronavirus in the complete nation. “These three events are actual anti-Maharashtra. These three events introduced the poor on highway and made them go to their properties regardless of the COVID state of affairs,” he mentioned.