hyderabad
Salaries of government employees in Telangana were much higher compared to States under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress rule, senior BRS leader and Minister for Finance and Health T. Harish Rao said here on Tuesday.
Speaking at a meeting with 44 trade unions held at Telangana Bhavan, he said the Congress had the history of police attack on workers demanding higher wages but the BRS (TRS) Government owned the history of enhancing wages without even being asked for it by learning the problems of working community.
He mentioned that the K. Chandrasekhar Rao government had scrapped the quarterly tax for auto workers and completely scrapping tax on tractors used for farm needs. He assured that the government would establish a board for auto and transport workers and also to double the salaries of resource persons and village administrative officers after the elections.
Terming BJP as the anti-workers party, Mr. Harish Rao said it had introduced privatisation in railways, railway lines, BSNL, LIC and several public sector undertakings. He alleged that the BJP was only believing in closing down companies rather than establishing new units.
Further, he accused the BJP of forcing merging seven mandals of Telangana with Andhra Pradesh within a month of the bifurcation (formation of Telangana) and the Centre’s unilateral move hand denied Sileru hydel project, which generates power round the year, by handing it over to AP.
The BJP and Congress would fight in other States but when it comes to Telangana they work together. The by-elections to Dubbak, Huzurabad and Munugode were glaring examples of their collusion here to defeat BRS. In the ongoing Assembly election process, their understanding was clearly visible with Congress leaders joining BJP to support BJP where it was strong and BJP leaders joining Congress to help Congress where it was strong.
Stating that it was only the BRS that would protect the interests of Telangana, Mr. Harish Rao said there was no warranty to Congress guarantees as was being proved in Karnataka and the government there was struggling hard to keep the promises at least partly.