“I want to emphasize that Telangana did not come into being because of any one person’s efforts. It was the collective struggle of students, unemployed individuals, employees, farmers, Dalits, and BCs that brought about its formation. Many people, like Srikantachari, gave their lives for this cause. Telangana’s creation is a result of the sacrifices made by these martyrs.
However, the aspirations of those who made these sacrifices were not fully realized in Telangana. It is important to reflect on why this was the case and who is responsible for it. It is our responsibility to work towards fulfilling the vision that the people fought for and build a better Telangana.”
-Priyanka Gandhi
Hyderabad, May 8: Priyanka Gandhi, the General Secretary of Congress, launched her campaign for the upcoming Telangana Assembly elections by criticizing the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government for not fulfilling their poll promises. She addressed a massive public meeting at Saroornagar stadium, focusing on the problems of youth and the unemployed.
Gandhi urged people to become politically conscious and choose a party that can take the state forward and give them a secured future. She also cautioned people against parties misleading them in the name of religion and caste.
She recalled that it was her mother and then Congress chief Sonia Gandhi who delivered Telangana state without worrying about the political damage the party would suffer. She appealed to people to bring Congress to power in the elections scheduled in the next few months.
Gandhi accused the KCR-led government of failing to fulfill poll promises and realize the dreams of Telangana martyrs. She claimed that 3 farmers end their lives in Telangana every day, and 8,000 farmers committed suicide in the last nine years. She also stated that the KCR government failed to fulfill its promise of job to every house, unemployment allowance of Rs 3,000, and to fill 2 lakh vacancies.
Gandhi said if the Congress failed to deliver on the promises made in its youth charter, people could hold the party accountable and remove it from power after five years.
In an apparent dig at KCR, she said that the Telangana state became a reality not because of any one leader but because of the movement of all sons and daughters of Telangana and hundreds of martyrs who laid down their lives. She said those who sacrificed their lives for Telangana wanted jobs for youth, rights for future generations, remunerative prices for farmers, and development of all districts at par with Hyderabad.
She alleged that no action was taken against those involved in the Telangana State Public Service Commission (TSPSC) paper leak, which affected thousands of students who had written exams after hard work. She claimed that no recruitment took place in 12 state universities in the last nine years, and private universities have been established, which loot the people.
Gandhi concluded by appealing to people to choose a party that could fulfill its promises and take the state forward.
