Telangana Rashra Samithi president and chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s comments against the latest Rs 20 lakh crore economic stimulus package announced by Union finance minister Nirmala Sitaraman, describing it as bogus and hollow have incurred a strong reaction from the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders.
Senior BJP leader and Union minister of state for home G Kishan Reddy said KCR’s comments against the package smacked of arrogance and intolerance.
“They are irresponsible and unwarranted, at a time when the states and the Centre are supposed to work together as Team India, and overcome the crisis arising out of Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.
Stating that it was not proper for KCR to do politicking at this challenging hour, Kishan Reddy said the Centre and the states have to bury their differences and work together. He said KCR should first study the package before making unwanted statements.
Taking exception to the language used by KCR against the Centre, the Union minister said the chief minister’s comments were highly objectionable.
“What loss the package has caused for Telangana. It is a wholesome package aimed at benefitting all the states in a big way, cutting across the regions and parties,” he said.
On KCR’s criticism against linking of relaxation of FRBM norms with certain economic reforms, the Union minister argued that the reforms were only aimed at boosting the economy and attracting new investments into the country.
He pointed out that the Telangana government, too, was liking payment of financial assistance to farmers under Rythu Bandhu scheme with reforms in agriculture.
“KCR announced that Rythu Bandhu is applicable only if the farmers cultivate the crops listed by the government. Did we oppose your policy on Rythu Bandhu? If what you are doing is correct, how can you blame the Centre for insisting on reforms? You can’t have this double-standards,” Kishan Reddy said.