RTI war: TRS seeks info on PM Narendra Modi tour expenses

HYDERABAD: After indulging in a tit-for-tat campaign war and publicity blitz during the recent national executive meeting of the BJP, the ruling TRS and the saffron party are now set for bitter RTI wars.
Soon after Telangana BJP filed over 100 RTI applications seeking information on chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's salary, expenditure on his recent visits to various states, etc., the TRS has decided to counter the BJP by filing RTI applications seeking details on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tours and central government departments.

Information will be sought from the PMO, Union finance, home, external affairs ministries and other key departments, TRS leaders said. "Telangana BJP president Bandi Sanjay says it was Modi who has stopped the war between Ukraine and Russia at his Parade Grounds public address. We will seek how Modi has stopped the countries from fighting. We will seek information on various issues under the RTI," Telangana legislative PSUs committee chairman and MLA A Jeevan Reddy said at a press conference on Thursday.

The TRS will also ask details on PM's visits to other countries, expenditure, amount spent on the PM's dresses and other details. "We also want to know why Modi took a detour and went to Lahore to meet then PM of Pakistan Nawaz Shareef," he said.

"The BJP wants details on promises made by us since June 2, 2014. Our government will provide all the details since we had done more for the people and kept our promises. We will seek information on the status of promises made in the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014. Similarly, we will seek information on GST arrears, status of turmeric board, borrowings of the Centre in the last eight years, what happened to the promise of depositing Rs 15 lakh in each Jan Dhan account and how the BJP was allowed to hold a public meeting at the Parade Grounds," Jeevan Reddy said.
He said several BJP leaders are visiting Bhagyalakshmi temple at Charminar. "But, our party would like to know the contribution of the Centre and other BJP-ruled governments in other states for development of the temple under RTI," he said.
"Anybody can seek information through the RTI which will be provided to the applicant," he added.