KCR's doublespeak exposed

Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao is in a responsible post representing the people of Telangana. He is not a Telangana movement leader at present. So, whatever he speaks, it should be doubly thought over beforehand.

Mentioning the name of a former Chief Minister in a derisive way in TS Assembly is in bad taste. Whether he had truly advised Chandrababu Naidu about not going ahead with the Amaravati capital or not, nobody knows.

But the fact remains that he had once told he intended to declare Rs 500 crore to AP at the time of inaugurating the AP capital Amaravati but could not do so because PM Narendra Modi himself had not announced any package to the capital at that time. Assembly is not a forum to settle political scores.

It is meant for doing legislative business of the State concerned. In what way mentioning the name of Chandrababu Naidu, a former Chief Minister of AP as well as the erstwhile united AP, in TS Assembly in such a disrespectful way justifies the legislative business of Telangana State?

If Chandrashekar Rao had any grouse against Chandrababu Naidu, he could well take his name outside the Assembly, but not within the Assembly. Will Chandrashekar Rao tolerate if some comments were made in AP Assembly stating that Kaleshwaram is a 'dead investment' project?

Will it not hurt the feelings of the Telangana people vis-à-vis the integrity of the head of the State? It is sad to note that Chandrashekar Rao had described constructing Amaravati as 'dead investment' in TS Assembly.

It may be mentioned that the decision to construct Amaravati as AP's capital was not Chandrababu Naidu's individual decision. It was a collective decision of the AP Cabinet vis-à-vis the Legislative Assembly.

How can Chandrashekar Rao describe another State's Assembly decision as a 'dead investment' in TS Assembly? Secondly, Chandrashekar Rao, after becoming the Chief Minister of Telangana should treat all the people living in Telangana with equal respect and take their criticism in right earnest, whether they belong to Telangana or other States. Several times he himself said like this. But old habits die hard.

The invisible separatist man in Chandrashekar Rao comes out occasionally in one form or the other. His utterances against Jayaprakash Narayan on criticism about Telangana irrigation projects proves this point.

According to a news item published in a Telugu newspaper, Chandrashekar Rao is reported to have commented about Jayaprakash Narayan in the TS Assembly that "he doesn't belong to our State… but he comments that it is a waste... (projects in Telangana)".

So, according to Chandrashekar Rao, when somebody belongs to another State, he is not supposed to comment or criticise about the happenings in Telangana. On one hand, Chandrashekar Rao says Amaravati capital construction as 'dead investment' and on the other hand, he criticises Jayaprakash Narayan for making similar 'waste' comment, stating that he doesn't belong to this State.

That means, because JP doesn't belong to Telangana, he should not make any comments on matters of Telangana. But Chandrashekar Rao can comment on other State's matters, that too, in the State Assembly itself. Very astonishing double speak.

-T R Rao, Hyderabad