Revanth Reddy responds to Modi: 'Joy, hope returned to Telangana after BRS misrule'

Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy issued a detailed clarification statement on Saturday, November 2, 2024, in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent comments regarding the state. Revanth Reddy expressed his readiness to address what he described as "several misconceptions and factual errors" in Modi's remarks about Telangana and its governance.

He spoke about the transformation that has occurred in the state since the Congress government took office on December 7, 2023, stating, “A wave of joy and hope has swept the state after a near-decade of BRS misrule.”

In his statement, CM Revanth Reddy highlighted key achievements of his government, noting that within just two days of taking charge, they implemented two major promises: free bus travel for women across all Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) buses, and a healthcare and hospitalisation cover of ₹10 lakh under the Rajiv Arogya Sree scheme. He shared that in the last 11 months, women in Telangana have traveled over 101 crore times without paying a fare, resulting in savings of ₹3,433.36 crore.

CM Revanth also spoke about the government’s commitment to farmers, announcing the largest-ever state-level loan waiver in India, termed "Rythe Raju" (Farmer is King in Telangana). He noted that over 22 lakh farmers (22,22,365) are now free of loans up to ₹2 lakh, and more than ₹18,000 crore has been deposited into farmers' accounts in just 25 days.

Further speaking about the benefits for women, Revanth Reddy said they are receiving free electricity for domestic use up to 200 units. He contrasted this with the high gas cylinder prices in BJP-ruled states, highlighting that in Congress-ruled Telangana, the price per cylinder is only ₹500. He reported that over 1.31 crore gas cylinder refills have occurred, benefiting over 42 lakh families.

On employment, Revanth Reddy remarked that after a decade of stagnation in government job recruitment, the Congress government has conducted the highest recruitment drive, regularly holding exams for various levels (Group 1, 2, 3, and 4). In less than 11 months, they have provided jobs for over 50,000 eligible youth, a record he claims is unmatched by any BJP-ruled state.

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy also addressed educational improvements, stating that allocations for food and hygiene products in welfare hostels have increased by over 40 percent after a decade of neglect by the previous BRS government.

On environmental initiatives, he mentioned efforts to clean and rejuvenate the Musi River, which had been neglected previously. He assured that since the Congress government came to power, not a single inch of lake has been encroached upon. Additionally, plans are underway for a Future City, with a master plan in the finalisation stage.

CM Revanth announced the establishment of Young India Skills University, YI Sports University, and YI Integrated Residential Schools, reaffirming that every promise made by the Congress government is a "sacred commitment." He stated that in the last 11 months, the government has reversed the despair that lingered under BRS rule, proclaiming, “Like a morning sun, Telangana is now rising.”

In a contrasting statement on November 1, 2024, Prime Minister Modi criticised the Congress party, saying, “The Congress Party is realising the hard way that making unreal promises is easy, but implementing them properly is tough or impossible.” He accused Congress of failing to deliver on its promises, stating that they are now “badly exposed in front of the people” and labelled their commitments as “#FakePromisesOfCongress.”

PM Modi further commented, “Check any state where the Congress has governments today—Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana—the developmental trajectory and fiscal health is turning from bad to worse. Their so-called guarantees lie unfulfilled, which is a terrible deceit upon the people of these states. The victims of such politics are the poor, youngsters, farmers, and women, who are not only denied the benefits of these promises but also see their existing schemes diluted."