Hyderabad: Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar questioned the Congress party holding the ‘Samajika Samara Bheri’ (public meeting on struggles for Social Justice) in the city, attended by AICC Chief Mallikarjun Kharge.

He said on Friday, the Congress party has ruled the “country and our state for more than half a century, yet has never appointed a Backward Class (BC) person as Prime Minister or Chief Minister.” It exposes the betrayal of the people, especially as they have failed to implement even the six guarantees that would primarily benefit Dalits, backwards classes, and weaker sections. Against this backdrop, he demanded the justification for holding the meeting. He demanded that AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge answer the people. Otherwise, this meeting should be renamed to ‘Social Injustice Samara Bheri.”

He said in contrast to the Congress, the BJP appointed Ram Nath Kovind, a Dalit; Draupadi Murmu, a tribal; and Abdul Kalam, a minority, as President. The BJP’s history includes providing positions to 27 OBCs, 12 Dalits, 6 minorities, and 8 women in the central cabinet—a historic achievement. The BJP has also appointed him, a BC, as a central minister. Sanjay Kumar noted that he, along with other BC leaders like Dr. K. Laxman and Bandaru Dattatreya, has received significant positions. The Congress party, which once mocked Modi—who also comes from a BC background—as a “chaiwala” if he were Prime Minister, has much to answer for.

The Karimnagar MP recalled Modi’s announcement that if the BJP comes to power in Telangana, a BC will become the Chief Minister. He further challenged Congress on how many BCs have been appointed in the Congress state’s cabinet, “even though they claim that BCs make up more than 50 per cent of the population.” He pointed out that if BC leader Ponnam Prabhakar had been given a position, it would have been a step toward justice for BCs. How can Congress justify holding a social justice rally when they have denied BC representation?

He also criticized the Congress for failing to provide women with promised financial support, such as Rs. 2,500 per month, Rs. 4,000 as a pension, Rs. 4,000 as unemployment benefits, Rs. 5 lakh in assurance for students, and Rs. 21,000 per acre for farmers, along with bonus payments. Why have they failed to deliver on the 420 promises in their manifesto, including the six guarantees? AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge needs to address these questions at the social justice rally, he demanded.

Regarding the shortage of fertilisers, he stated that the Congress and BRS parties are unfairly blaming the central government for the urea shortage as the local body elections approach. Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao, who is experienced, is being misled by wrong information. During the last agriculture season, “Telangana required 9 lakh metric tons of urea, but the central government supplied 12 lakh metric tons. It was 3 lakh metric tons more than what the state of Telangana requested. The Centre is willing to provide the same or more during the current agriculture season.” However, he questioned where the additional urea that remained from the earlier agriculture season went and criticised the state for blaming the Centre without accounting for these discrepancies. “The onus is on the state government to take appropriate action if there are any hurdles. The Centre is willing to consider Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao’s requests favourably. The state must communicate the facts to the public.