Check facts, KTR tells Kishan Reddy

Hyderabad: Alleging that Union Minister G Kishan Reddy showed false statistics on the Centre's flood relief funds to Telangana, IT Minister KT Rama Rao on Thursday said that if Reddy, representing Telangana, fails to do justice to people of the State, he would remain a loser in history.

KTR trashed Reddy's statements on flood relief funds given to Telangana. He stated that Reddy was blatantly lying by giving false statistics. Though he is an MP from Telangana, instead of standing up for State people during such difficult times, he is spreading lies, alleged Rao, questioning whether it was not the Central government's responsibility to come to rescue of States hit by floods.

Rao said Reddy was confusing people by numbers of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) which is the rightful share of Telangana under Article 280. He asked the Union minister to read the statement given by Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai in Parliament where he clearly said not a single penny was given to Telangana after 2018.

"Is it not true that the Prime Minister himself conducted a survey on floods in Gujarat and released Rs 1,000 crore NDRF special additional assistance in the form of advance in 2021?" asked Rao.

The TRS working president said Modi was blind to problems faced by people of Telangana. "We will keep questioning his discriminatory attitude," KTR asserted. He said SDRF was one of the ways the States get back taxes paid by them to the Centre. "Reddy should learn about this fact", advised Rao. The Modi government is sending huge funds to the flood-affected BJP-ruled States, whereas, they are just sending inspection teams to non-BJP ruled States affected by floods. Since 2018, Bihar was allocated Rs 3,250 crore, MP Rs 4,530 crore, Karnataka Rs 6,490 crore, Gujarat Rs 1,000 crore under NDRF funds. Are these stats not correct, he questioned. He questioned when the Centre can allocate Rs 15,270 crore to four BJP-ruled States, why can't they provide special funds to Telangana in a similar way.

The minister challenged Reddy to bring funds to the State in a similar way. He demanded Reddy to apologise to people of Telangana for spreading lies about the NDRF funds. "If Reddy has any love for State, he should ensure bringing special funds to Telangana under NDRF", he said. "If not, Reddy should accept that the BJP government gave nothing to Telangana since 2018", he added.

The Minister alleged that the Centre had not responded to the multiple requests of Telangana which repeatedly appealed for allocation of special funds during the floods in Hyderabad. The government assessed the flood damage in the State and asked the Centre to allocate Rs 1,400 crore. He said the Centre was trying to wash its hands by just sending inspection teams from Delhi.

"This will do no good to the State", he remarked, adding Reddy does not have the courage to bring additional funds to Telangana from the high-level committee chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Hence, he is lying to people of Telangana.

"Kishan Reddy was making such false statements only to strengthen his position in his party and be a part of the 'Golmal Batch' led by Modi, KTR quipped