BRS seeks to move privilege motion against Telangana Finance Minister over debt data

Hyderabad, Dec 16 (IANS) The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Legislative Party has sought permission of Telangana Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad to approve a privilege motion against Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka for presenting misleading data on Telangana’s debt.

The BRS leaders accused the government of inflating debt figures to Rs 7 lakh crore, contrary to the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) report citing the debt as ₹3.89 lakh crore.

“The Finance Minister’s statements misled the Assembly and people of Telangana,” BRS Working President K.T. Rama Rao said, citing the RBI Handbook of Statistics on Indian States.

The BRS demanded that the government present accurate debt figures in the Assembly or allow the Privilege Motion for debate. KTR, as Rama Rao is popularly known, highlighted past precedence when a similar motion was permitted under Speaker Manohar against then Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy, emphasising the need to uphold legislative traditions.

The BRS also strongly criticized the government for prioritising tourism discussions in the Assembly while ignoring pressing issues like the Lagacherla farmers’ imprisonment. KTR called for an immediate debate on the incident, stressing its significance, especially as it occurred in the Speaker’s home district, Vikarabad.

KTR took a sarcastic dig at the government, coining the terms “Delhi Tourism” and “Jail Tourism”. He accused the administration of prioritising frequent trips to Delhi and unjustly jailing dissenters, including Lagacherla farmers, social media activists, and opposition leaders.

Raising concerns over unpaid dues to sarpanches, the BRS pointed out the government’s selective fund allocation favouring large contractors. KTR urged the Speaker to intervene and address these financial hardships faced by local representatives.

The BRS leader expressed outrage over new restrictions preventing former MLAs from entering the Assembly premises. He contrasted this with the openness during the BRS regime, where ex-legislators had free access to Ministers and the Chief Minister.

“Symbols of protest like nooses, dried crops, and lanterns were once permitted in the Assembly. Now, even placards are being restricted,” KTR remarked, accusing the government of silencing opposition voices.

KTR criticised Vikramarka for announcing financial aid for tenant farmers outside the Assembly, bypassing legislative norms. “Such announcements should be made within the Assembly, where questions can be raised,” he said.

Bhatti’s announcement that Rs 12,000 financial assistance would be provided to agricultural labourers was termed as a violation of Assembly procedures. It was pointed out that policy decisions should be announced only in the Assembly when it is in session, and Vikramarka seemed to have forgotten this principle. It was also informed that this matter was brought to the attention of the Speaker.

Questioning the credibility of the government’s welfare promises, KTR stated: “The public no longer trusts Sankranti schemes or votes in the name of deities. The government has failed to deliver on its commitments.”

–IANS

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