BRS to boycott PM Modi's visit; accuses NDA govt of being anti-Telangana

Hyderabad: Alleging that the NDA government at the Centre has been "anti-Telangana" in the last nine years, ruling BRS Working President K T Rama Rao on Friday said his party would "boycott" Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the state on Saturday.

Rama Rao, son of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, claimed that Modi had an anti-Telangana attitude ever since he became Prime Minister in 2014.

No promise made to Telangana in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act has been implemented by the Centre, he alleged.

Modi had laid the foundation stone for a Rs 20,000 crore locomotive coach factory at Dahod in Gujarat one year ago, but announced a wagon manufacturing unit with Rs 521 crore at Warangal in Telangana, he said.

A railway coach factory was supposed to be set up in Telangana as per the AP Reorganisation Act, he said.

"For Gujarat, Rs 20,000 crore coach factory. But, for Telangana, Rs 521 crore. As if alms are being given," he told reporters here.

As a private company has set up a coach factory in Telangana with an investment of Rs 1,000 crore, the Telangana people would not accept if Modi government establishes a factory with Rs 521 crore, said Rama Rao, Minister for Municipal Administration in Telangana government.

Though the state government has provided over 300 acres of land for setting up a tribal university near Warangal, it has not been sanctioned so far, he said.

Establishing a tribal university is an assurance mentioned in the AP Reorganisation Act.

Rama Rao claimed that Modi had insulted the "birth of Telangana" by saying earlier that Congress gave birth to a child (Telangana) but killed its mother (Andhra Pradesh).

Rama Rao also talked about alleged communal trouble during Modi's prime ministership.

"We have all decided. Definitely, none of us will attend his (Modi) visit tomorrow. Because, his move to give Rs 520 crore, as if giving alms, is an insult to Telangana society. Definitely, we will boycott. We will not attend his programme," he said.

Asked about Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's attack on BRS at a recent public meeting at Khammam in Telangana, Rama Rao asked in what capacity Rahul Gandhi is making policy announcements.

"Rahul Gandhi comes here and makes policy statements. In what capacity, he is making the statements? Is he the president of Congress party? Is he the president of Congress in Telangana? Is he even a Member of Parliament," he said.

Gandhi had recently dubbed the BRS of being the "B Team of BJP".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone for several crucial infrastructure development projects worth around Rs 6,100 crore in Warangal on Saturday.

Modi would visit the famous Bhadrakali temple in the district before attending the events and would also address a public meeting.

As part of the programme, the Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone of the railway wagon manufacturing unit, Kazipet to be developed at a cost of over Rs 500 crore.

The modern manufacturing unit will have enhanced wagon manufacturing capacity. It will help in local employment generation and development of ancillary units in nearby areas, an official release had earlier said.