Former Health minister Eatala Rajender has demanded that the TRS government begin implementing the election promise of disbursing unemployment stipend of ₹3,116 each to eligible beneficiaries across Telangana just as it had been doing by issuing ration cards, farmers’ loans waiver, ‘Dalit Bandhu’ cash benevolence of ₹10 lakh and others with alacrity in the backdrop of the much-anticipated byelection to the Huzurabad constituency.
“All the promises made as a prelude to the 2018 general elections have been forgotten for the last three years but Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has suddenly decided to implement them for which I am happy. I demand that other assurances also be taken up in similar spirit and provide benefits to the poor irrespective of caste,” he said, at a press conference, following his discharge from a corporate hospital on Thursday.
Mr. Rajender had to cut short his ‘Praja Deevena Yatra’ — walkathon for people’s blessings — abruptly a few days ago after he fell sick and he successfully underwent a knee operation and was treated for fever and cold too. “The government has already spent close to ₹150 crore of disbursements in the guise of various schemes in an effort to lure voters. Everyone knows Mr. Rao has no love for people but for their votes,” he charged.
The BJP leader urged political parties and people at large to ruminate over the prevailing political climate in TS where the ruling party had been intimidating Opposition and those opposing them making use of the police. “Mr. Rao’s own vindictive attitude is a threat to democracy and the efforts to diminish the democratic principles should be thwarted by all. He has forgotten about the people involved in the agitation for the separate State and has been rewarding backstabbers with posts,” he said.
The Chief Minister had never garlanded the statue of B. R. Ambedkar in the last eight years, failed to keep the promise of having a Dalit chief minister, taken away the deputy chief minister post from Dalits and had not appointed a single official from the weaker sections in his office. “It shows the kind and extent of respect he has for the downtrodden,” he remarked.
The former minister demanded that the same welfare schemes be made applicable to nomadic tribes as their lives were in a pitiable state. “Mr. Rao is spending thousands of crores earned illegally to win the election at any cost but people of Huzurabad cannot be turned against me. Even Harish Rao knows I am not a drama artiste but a serious politician with sincerity and commitment. I will resume the walkathon soon,” said Mr. Rajender.
