Hyderabad: Malkajgiri MP Eatala Rajender criticised the Congress-led state government for failing to fulfil its promise of clearing pending bills ranging from Rs 10 to Rs 20 lakh owed to contractors who completed various works.

Addressing the media on Monday, he stated that the non-payment of these bills has pushed small contractors into dire financial situation. He alleged that contractors have been pressured to pay a 10 per cent commission to clear the pending bills.

Additionally, police and RTC employees are struggling to withdraw their savings and obtain loans. Government employees, officials, and teachers are forced to roam around offices seeking retirement benefits, while retired employees are not receiving their pensions, he said. Rajender questioned the moral right of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to govern the state efficiently with the financial situation worsening. He expressed concern over the cancellation of old pensions and the non-acceptance of new pension applications for the elderly and disabled. He also criticised Congress for promising to deliver Kalyana Lakshmi cheques during marriages but failing to issue cheques even after the birth of children to those married.

Furthermore, he alleged that the Indiramma Committees formed in villages are prioritising Congress workers for housing over deserving candidates, warning the Congress government that they will face protests from people. Due to untimely rains in the state, grains at procurement centres have become wet and muddy, causing farmers significant losses. Given that this is a dry season crop, he demanded the government purchase the soaked grain urgently and support the farmers.

Eatala Rajender emphasised that the Congress government, led by Revanth Reddy, is failing and is resorting to diversionary politics to distract the public. He noted that the first caste census was conducted under British rule in 1935, and despite 90 years passing since then, Congress leaders such as Nehru and Rajiv Gandhi ignored the negative impacts of reservations on merit and skills development. They failed to prioritise the advancement of downtrodden classes.

Rahul Gandhi may walk around holding the Constitution. However, Congress has a checkered history of defeating Ambedkar, the author of the Constitution. Although the backward classes (BC) population in the state exceeds 50 per cent, Congress has done an injustice by underestimating their numbers in the recent caste census, he added.

“The BJP takes credit for giving the country an OBC Prime Minister. In PM Modi’s cabinet, there are several ministers from diverse backgrounds: 27 OBC from the OBC category, 12 Dalit ministers, 8 tribal ministers, and 5 minority ministers,” he added.

Besides, more than 60 per cent of responsibilities have been assigned to poor and vulnerable groups. The Modi government aims to lead the country on a development path to achieve a Viksit Bharat (Developed India) by 2047. In contrast, the Congress government does not prioritise students, farmers, and the poor, he alleged.