An affront to armed forces, says BJP

Hyderabad: Can a State minister threaten the Local Military Authority (LMA) to stop supply of water to the cantonment area or for that matter any area?

This was the issue of political debate on Sunday. It may be recalled that Municipal Administration Minister KT Rama Rao on Saturday, while replying to a question in the Assembly, said his government was keeping all options open and if the LMA do not stop causing inconvenience to the civilians, it may stop supply of power and water to the cantonment area.

Senior BJP leader N Ramachander Rao said the minister's comments were nothing but insulting and threatening the Indian armed forces, who are residing in the cantonment area. He said there is a court order of the erstwhile High Court of Andhra Pradesh, which states that due to security reasons those roads should not be given to civilians. Still, former defence ministers Manohar Parrikar and Nirmala Sitharaman had allowed the roads to be opened for the public.

The BJP leader alleged that since the Centre had denied giving defence lands to the State government for the construction of new Assembly building, the TRS leaders were talking against the armed forces.

"Over 2 lakh people stay in the cantonment area. Though the Congress leaders did not raise any objection in the Assembly when this statement was made, a section of the party leaders felt that such a statement was uncalled for. The State government should try to resolve the issue with the Centre and not resort to making such 'irresponsible statements.'

Having been pushed into defensive situation, TRS secretary-general K Keshav Rao said the BJP was making a mountain out of molehill. He said neither the TRS nor its government meant it. 'One should understand the spirit of the statement. It was a reflection of people's frustration. "Nobody is a fool to do such a thing to the armed forces whom we salute," he added.

However, the BJP leaders argue that a statement was made in the Assembly and it is surprising that the senior Parliamentarian says they don't mean it. If they did not mean it, why did the minister make such a statement on the floor of the House? they ask.