Kishan dares Cong, BRS for live debate

Hyderabad: Union Minister for Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy on Sunday dared Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and former chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao to take part in a live, public debate on the Government of India’s contributions to Telangana between 2014 and 2025. The proposal was made through a letter addressed to the president of the Press Club of Hyderabad, seeking a transparent platform to “expose false narratives and set the record straight”.

The Minister’s challenge via the letter comes in response to repeated claims being made by leaders of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi and the Congress that the Centre has “neglected Telangana’s development”.

Kishan Reddy termed these allegations “politically motivated” and “factually incorrect,” while asserting that the Centre has played a pivotal role in the state’s progress. He cited a comprehensive presentation made on June 17, 2023, at RTC Kalabhavan here, in which the Centre’s financial and infrastructural support to Telangana was detailed.

According to the Minister, the Government of India has contributed over Rs 9 lakh crore towards the state’s development over nine years, covering sectors such as highways, railways, education, healthcare, agriculture, housing, digital connectivity, and industrial growth. These investments, he emphasized, were made through centrally sponsored schemes, central sector schemes, special grants, and flagship national programmes under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. Despite all this, both BRS and Congress continue to “mislead the public through misinformation campaigns” he stated. To counter all such false claims, the Minister proposed a “live, open debate” hosted by the Press Club of Hyderabad, featuring himself, CM Revanth Reddy, and former CM KCR.

The Union Minister suggested that the debate should focus on: Year-wise and sector-wise allocations by the Centre to Telangana; implementation of central grants and infrastructure projects, and the impact of flagship national schemes on the state’s welfare, he added. Kishan Reddy stated that such a forum would allow citizens to hear directly from those who governed the state and those who represented it at the Centre. He urged the Press Club to facilitate this debate in the interests of truth, transparency, and public awareness.