The Bharatiya Janata Party criticised Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao for making the 100th birth anniversary function of former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao a “party function” and for trying to score political brownie points.
“Does KCR really have any affection for PV or is it a drama?,” wondered National OBC president and senior leader K. Laxman on Monday.
“The Chief Minister should have called all the Opposition leaders for the function and done the event in a more honourable fashion like a government one but not even the area corporator was invited in utter disregard to the protocol,” he charged.
Mr. Laxman accused the government of playing to the gallery by grandly announcing ₹10 crore for the anniversary celebrations but spending ₹2 crore only after paying respects at the PV Ghat accompanied Union Minister of State G. Kishan Reddy, G. Narayana Reddy, B. Chandra Reddy and others.
“Eminent personalities like PV should be treated with more respect. The Centre has been giving due importance to the former PM and a postal stamp has been released due to the initiative taken by Mr. Kishan Reddy,” he said. The Congress party and the Gandhi family continued to ignore PV’s services to the nation during a grave period when the financial position was in doldrums and the country was facing danger from every corner.
Mr. Kishan Reddy recalled the PV’s services as a Minister in the united AP, as a Chief Minister, Central Minister and later as the Prime Minister. His land, administrative and social reforms during his various stints set the right tone for the country, he observed.
Senior leader N. Ramchander Rao, State party president Bandi Sanjay Kumar and P.V’s grandson N.V. Subash also paid their tributes while extolling the former PM’s contributions to the Telugu States and the country in various capacities.
(eom)