Kishan terms Bharat Summit anti-India

metro india news I hyderabad

Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy on Thursday demanded that the Congress party and the Telangana government explain the rationale behind organising the ‘Bharat Summit’ jointly in Hyderabad. He termed it an anti-India summit aimed at obstructing the country's development.

Kishan Reddy questioned how the Telangana government could use public funds to organise a political party's programme. He alleged that pro-Pakistan and anti-India forces were coming together in Hyderabad under the banner of the summit.

He accused the Congress of organising the event to project Rahul Gandhi's vision before the international community, despite what he described as repeated electoral failures of the Congress leader. He said it was unfortunate that Telangana had become a platform for forces allegedly working against India's interests.

Addressing the media in Delhi, Kishan Reddy alleged that the Congress was using the summit to discredit India's constitutional institutions and make personal attacks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said the party had been organising such events to cover up its successive electoral defeats and declining public support.

"Under Rahul Gandhi's leadership, the Congress has suffered 100 electoral defeats. The summit is being organised to downplay this century of defeats and undermine constitutional institutions. What vision does Rahul Gandhi have to present before the world?" he asked.

He said States across the country, irrespective of whether they were governed by the Congress or BJP, were competing to attract investments and accelerate development. This competitive environment had grown under Modi's leadership, he claimed.

Kishan Reddy alleged that while the Telangana government was promoting an investment summit in Hyderabad, it was simultaneously hosting the Bharat Summit, which, according to him, could discourage investments into India.

He also accused Rahul Gandhi of failing to appreciate the country's development, reduction in terrorism and corruption, and decline in caste- and religion-based politics. Referring to the 2013 ordinance introduced by the then UPA government, he recalled that Rahul Gandhi had publicly described it as "complete nonsense" and torn up a copy, thereby insulting then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

He further criticised Rahul Gandhi for comparing India's situation with Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka, saying such statements undermined democracy and the mandate of elected governments.

Referring to the killing of 76 CRPF personnel by Maoists in Dantewada, Kishan Reddy accused Rahul Gandhi of describing Naxalism as a social problem rather than unequivocally condemning the violence. He also questioned Rahul Gandhi's remarks alleging Indian support for terrorism in Balochistan.

He alleged that forces opposed to India were setting the agenda for the Hyderabad summit and claimed that individuals such as George Soros were using Rahul Gandhi to damage India's reputation.

Questions Congress over Telangana guarantees

Kishan Reddy urged Rahul Gandhi to explain the status of promises made to Telangana voters during the 2023 Assembly elections, including the six guarantees, sub-guarantees and various declarations.

He alleged that Telangana was heading towards a financial crisis under Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, accusing the Congress government of increasing the debt burden inherited from the previous BRS regime. He also pointed to pending bills and the need for High Court intervention to secure payments.

He listed several alleged failures in implementing the Congress guarantees, including: He alleged that several poll promises remained unfulfilled, including the annual assistance of Rs 12,000 to agricultural labourers and support to tenant farmers, implementation of the BC Declaration and the promised monthly assistance of Rs 2,500 to women under the Mahalakshmi scheme.

He also pointed to pending pensions for widows and persons with disabilities, despite the promise to increase the monthly pension from Rs 2,000 to Rs 4,000, and the failure to provide the promised monthly unemployment allowance of Rs 4,000, resulting in arrears of Rs 1.36 lakh for each eligible unemployed youth. He further alleged that the Rs 5 lakh Vidya Bharosa Card and employment assurances to youngsters remained unfulfilled.

Pending dearness allowance, PRC and medical insurance benefits for government employees, outstanding fee reimbursement dues and unresolved education sector issues were other concerns. He also accused the government of failing to provide the promised Rs 12 lakh assistance to SC/ST families and Rs 25 lakh grants to gram panchayats.

He also alleged that retired employees were being denied their retirement benefits and that several welfare commitments remained unfulfilled. Kishan Reddy said these issues should be presented before the international delegates attending the Bharat Summit so that they could understand the ground realities in Telangana.