Hyderabad: Heated Debate in Assembly Over State's Financial Liabilities
The Telangana Assembly witnessed a fiery exchange on Thursday as the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and the Opposition Congress clashed over the state’s financial liabilities. The debate, centered around the “Outstanding Liabilities of State,” saw sharp arguments between BRS MLA T Harish Rao and Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka.
The BRS accused the previous Congress regime of plunging the state into a financial crisis, while the Congress strongly refuted these claims. The backdrop to this debate was a privilege motion filed by the BRS on December 16, alleging that Bhatti had presented misleading data about Telangana’s debt.
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Conflicting Claims on State Debt
During the discussion, Deputy CM Bhatti stated that the total outstanding debt when Congress assumed power was ₹6.71 lakh crore. He argued that the BRS was misleading the Assembly by citing Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reports that were based on figures provided by the BRS itself. Bhatti clarified that the RBI did not conduct an independent audit and relied on Telangana’s 2023-24 budget documents prepared under the BRS government.
Bhatti also addressed food poisoning cases in Gurukula schools, blaming the previous regime for failing to allocate sufficient funds for essential food items. He highlighted the Congress government’s efforts, including a 40% hike in diet charges and a 200% increase in cosmetic charges, to bring the situation under control.
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Harish Rao Challenges Congress Figures
Countering Bhatti’s claims, Harish Rao asserted that the actual debt left by the BRS was ₹4.17 lakh crore, not ₹6.71 lakh crore. He alleged that the Congress government had borrowed ₹1.27 lakh crore in just one year. Rao accused the Congress of spreading lies and challenged Bhatti to prove his claims, even offering to resign if proven wrong. He further demanded that Bhatti resign if he could not substantiate his statements.
Rao’s remarks sparked uproar in the Assembly, with members from both sides trading barbs. Bhatti responded by stating that the Congress government repaid ₹1.18 lakh crore, including principal and interest, within a year. He emphasized that his government had resolved the financial issues left by the BRS and ensured timely payment of salaries and pensions to employees and beneficiaries.
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Commotion Over Unparliamentary Language
Tensions escalated when Harish Rao accused someone in the Assembly of using unparliamentary language, calling them a “useless fellow.” This remark led to protests from the Treasury benches. Legislative Affairs Minister D Sridhar Babu objected to Rao’s choice of words, criticizing his conduct. Rao, in turn, questioned whether Sridhar Babu was supporting the use of inappropriate language.
Harish Rao also took a jibe at Congress MLA Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy, sarcastically expressing hope that Rajgopal would become the next Home Minister so he could have uninterrupted access to a microphone. In response, Rajgopal accused Rao of being unable to accept the Congress government’s good governance and demanded an apology for his remarks.
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Congress Stands Firm on Debt Figures
As the heated debate continued, Harish Rao warned that the BRS might approach the courts if the Congress persisted in sharing what he called “wrong figures” about state debts. However, Deputy CM Bhatti defended the Congress’s data, stating that his party stood by its claims.
The Assembly session ended on a tense note, with neither side willing to back down, signaling that the war of words over Telangana’s financial liabilities is far from over.
