• Congress leaders highlight BC Declaration, attack BJP and BRS for blocking welfare and dividing society

Kamareddy, September 11: Panchayat Raj Minister D Seethakka and Government Advisor Mohammed Ali Shabbir held a series of preparatory meetings on Thursday in Bibipet, Domakonda, and Bichkunda mandals of Kamareddy district ahead of the upcoming BC public meeting scheduled for 15 September in Kamareddy town. The leaders urged local Congress cadre and key party functionaries to ensure massive public participation, stressing that the event must send a strong message across the state and country about the Congress government’s commitment to backward classes and inclusive governance.

Speaking at the meetings, Shabbir Ali recalled that the BC Declaration was drafted at his residence and formally announced in Kamareddy. He said the implementation of the Declaration, and now the celebration of its success in the same town, was deeply symbolic and significant for BC communities. He added that the Congress party’s return to power in Telangana was the result of a decade-long struggle by committed workers, and that the promises made to the people during the elections were being sincerely fulfilled. He noted that the BC Declaration was passed in the state Assembly, and now fighting for its approval by the Centre. He alleged that the BJP Government at the Centre was blocking the 42% BC quota. “This exposed the true colours of the BJP, which continues to block the political empowerment of marginalised communities,” he said.

Shabbir Ali praised Rahul Gandhi’s 4,000-kilometre Bharat Jodo Yatra, crediting it with helping the party understand the real problems of ordinary citizens and design people-centric schemes. He stated that Telangana now stands as a national example in providing political representation to backward communities. He appealed to the people to support the Congress party’s ongoing fight for social justice and accused the BJP government at the Centre of attempting to dismantle democracy by weakening the voting power of the poor. He also criticised the Union government for diverting the nation’s wealth to corporates like Ambani and Adani, leaving behind the marginalised sections of society.

Minister Seethakka echoed these views and said the BC reservation bill was passed by the Telangana Assembly despite serious financial challenges. She underlined that the Congress government was pressing ahead with its welfare agenda with honesty, commitment, and clarity of purpose. She accused the BJP-led Centre of deliberately delaying the approval of the BC reservation bill and politicising the issue. She also alleged that leaders of both the BJP and BRS avoided participating in the caste census, showing their lack of interest in genuine social justice. She emphasised that the Congress government was implementing social engineering in practice by giving key positions to backward class leaders and urged BCs across the region to attend the Kamareddy meeting in large numbers and make it a historic success.

Taking direct aim at BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao, Seethakka said he was misusing social media to spread misinformation and defame the Congress government. She criticised the previous BRS administration for failing to provide ration cards, houses for the poor, or loans for women’s self-help groups, and contrasted this with the Congress government’s new welfare initiatives. She said the state was now offering free bus travel for women, LPG cylinders at ₹500, free electricity for eligible households, and houses for the homeless. She mentioned the introduction of Mahila canteens and petrol bunks run by women, which were empowering women economically and socially. She also highlighted that the government had distributed ₹9,000 crore to farmers under the Rythu Bharosa scheme and provided 50,000 government jobs in a short span.

On the issue of fertiliser supply, Seethakka said that despite the Centre’s indifference, the Congress government was making all efforts to ensure there was no shortage of urea for farmers. She condemned those who were spreading falsehoods on social media about a supposed fertiliser crisis, stating that the misinformation was politically motivated. She also warned against attempts by some political elements to divide people using caste and religion, saying such politics would damage the social fabric of Telangana. “God should remain in temples, and devotion must stay in the heart,” she concluded, calling for unity and vigilance in protecting democracy and constitutional values. (eom)