Uttam appeals professionals to join Congress

Hyderabad: "My entry into politics was accidental. As an Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter pilot, I had never imagined that someday I would enter politics. But I joined electoral politics, got elected as MLA for four terms and now I'm heading the Telangana unit of Indian National Congress," said Capt. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Saturday while appealing the professionals to join the Congress party.

Uttam Kumar Reddy was addressing a press conference, along with All India Professionals’ Congress (AIPC) South India Coordinator Dr. J. Geetha Reddy and Leader of Opposition in Council Shabbir Ali, at Gandhi Bhavan on Saturday. He advised professionals to join the Congress party to build a better nation. He said after getting elected as Kodad MLA for the first time, he was able to convince thousands of intellectuals, who usually stayed away from voting, to participate in the electoral process.

He said that a majority of professionals across the country have fallen prey to the political propaganda of BJP in 2014 elections. They voted to make Narendra Modi the Prime Minister of India with the hope that he would fulfill all the promises. However, they were shocked after realising that the Modi Government has cheated them, he said.

The TPCC Chief said Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi has realised that millions of professionals across the country could play an active role in strengthening democracy and therefore, he decided to form AIPC with former union minister Sashi Tharoor as its chairman. He welcomed the appointment of Dr. Geetha Reddy as the Coordinator for South India and said she is a senior legislator, former minister and a highly qualified Dalit leader.

Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged that PM Modi and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao have been destructing the four pillars of democracy since 2014. "Instead of focusing on ensuring better life for poor and weaker sections, BJP Govt triggered beef debate. A sense of insecurity was inculcated among minorities. Legislature and even judiciary was not given due importance. Several restrictions were imposed on media through intimidating tactics. Professionals need to do a comparatively analysis of where four pillars of democracy stood in the past and where they stand now," he said.

The TPCC Chief alleged that KCR Government has crushed the entire system in Telangana State. "Both Modi and KCR are on a spree to destroy democratic institutions. Professionals could stop this massacre of democracy by joining the Congress party," he said.

Uttam Kumar Reddy that the AIPC would conduct a comprehensive study of problems being faced by the professionals and take steps to resolve them.

Meanwhile, Dr. Geetha Reddy said that the Professionals’ Congress would identify and debate issues concerning common people from village to the national level. She said that the AIPC would pick important issues which should be debated in the Assembly and Parliament.