Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], August 16 : BRS working president KT Rama Rao on Saturday criticised Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy over his alleged remarks categorising an entire community as "skilled labourers", calling it a reflection of a "racist mentality".
In a post on X, KTR said it was unfortunate that "politics of prejudice" had become an accepted norm even as the country celebrated the 80th Independence Day.
https://x.com/ktrbrs/status/2088544884647207201?s=46
"To categorise an entire community as 'skilled labourers' is nothing but a racist mentality," KTR said.
He also criticised the Chief Minister over what he described as an attempt to associate education and learning with a particular caste or religion.
"To believe that education and learning belong to a caste or a religion only displays your ignorance and feudalistic mindset, Revanth Reddy," he said.
KTR said members of minority communities had contributed to India's freedom struggle and played a role in nation-building.
"The minorities of this great nation fought alongside the rest of us as brothers in the Freedom Struggle, laid the foundation to build this beautiful nation," he said.
Highlighting contributions from minority communities across various fields, KTR said several scholars, academics, scientists, innovators, engineers, doctors and entrepreneurs had made significant contributions to the country.
He urged the Telangana government to stop what he termed a discriminatory approach and refrain from making statements that could promote hatred and prejudice.
"Stop this discriminatory mentality at least now. Stop bringing down the image of Telangana by spewing hate and prejudice," KTR said.
He further called for respecting people across communities and urged the Chief Minister to "learn to respect everyone".
Earlier, Congress and BRS locked horns over farmers' issues in the state. While the BRS has accused the Congress government of corruption in schemes for farmers, CM Revanth Reddy has hit back, challenging BRS president and former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao to a debate in the State Assembly on farmers' welfare during the 10-year BRS regime and the Congress government's tenure.
BRS MLA Harish Rao Thanneru alleged that the Congress government "siphoned off nearly Rs 15,000 crore in Rythu Bandhu funds in just two years." Addressing a public meeting in Sangareddy after launching the distribution of Smart Ration Cards, the Chief Minister claimed that the Congress government had spent Rs 1.70 lakh crore on farmers in just two and a half years.