Hyderabad: BJP's Ramachandra dares KTR for debate

Nampally: BJP sitting Hyderabad-Rangareddy and Mahbubnagar Graduates' constituency MLC N Ramachandra Rao on Sunday dared Information and Technology Minister KT Rama Rao for an open debate on 'status of Udyogalu (jobs) in new Telangana' at Arts College on Osmania University campus on March 1.

In a letter written to the minister on Sunday, the BJP MLC reacted to the statements reportedly made by KTR questioning what the BJP MLC had done during his tenure for lawyers.

The BJP MLC had made it clear that he was always accessible and available to the people for the last six years. He said that if he was proved wrong, he would not hesitate to withdraw his candidature from the elections. In the same refrain, If the IT Minister failed to prove his statement, then he should tender an apology for his uncalled-for insinuations against him.

However, the core debate was not what the BJP leader had done, as he was not part of the government. But, the issue to debate on was what KTR and KCR had done being in the government for the last seven years.

He recalled how KCR had promised Rs 100 crore corpus fund for advocates in 2014 in due recognition of their role in the Telangana struggle. But, the same was forgotten and he had raised the issue on several occasions in the State Legislative Council in 2016 and 2017.

"On one occasion, I had the privilege of getting CM's response, who directed the then Law Minister Indrakaran Reddy to resolve the issue," he told KTR in his letter. That apart, Rs 4 lakh ex gratia to the bereaved families of the advocates which remained unresolved.

Questioning the IT Ministers claim of creating 1,32,000 jobs in the last six years, Ramachandra Rao wanted the IT Minister to come for a debate to discuss the same. Among the issues that should figure in the debate, according to the BJP candidate, are: non-appointment of vice-chancellors for the past seven years; fate of govt promise of notification for 50,000 jobs; notification of Group 1 and 2 jobs; implementation of unemployment allowance of Rs 3,016 to the unemployed graduates; promise to lawyers; grant of Rs 200 crore for OU centenary celebrations; spending on universities, implementation of PRC etc.

"I challenge you to participate in the discussion and prove your credentials about recruitment and your treatment of lawyers, youth, students and unemployed," Ramachandra Rao said.