The head of social media TRS tweeted pictures of the cylinders with prices and PM’s photo. (Video Grab)
Hyderabad:
Telangana Health Minister T Harish Rao said today that Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, when asked to post pictures of Narendra Modi at meal shops, had “lowered the Prime Minister’s level”.
“She is talking as if the central government is giving free rice to the state. Telangana is among the five or six states that take care of our country’s finances. So, should the Prime Minister’s photo be shown? ours here and in other states?” In response to Ms. Sitharaman’s angry interaction with a Kamareddy Field Collector in Birkur, he said, videos of them went viral.
The latest Center-to-state exchange has little to do with economics but with the political context. Telangana ruler Rashtra Samiti is working towards unity of Opposition against BJP at Center.
Foreign Minister KT Rama Rao, son of Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (‘KCR’), said he was “appalled” by her “unruly behaviour”.
At her request, the head of social media TRS tweeted a cheeky video – several LPG bottles with prices and Prime Minister Modi’s photo plastered on them – as a non-indirect reference to the move. price increase.
You want pictures of Modi ji,
Here you are @nsitharaman ji…@KTRTRS@ pbhushan1@isai_@ranvijaylive@SaketGokhalepic.twitter.com/lcE4NlsRp5– krishanKTRS (@krishanKTRS) September 3, 2022
In the video that went viral on Friday, Ms. Sitharaman was rather curt to Collector Jitesh Patil when he couldn’t immediately tell the Center and state’s stake in rice at reasonably priced shops. She said, at a cost of Rs 35 per kg, the Center bears Rs 30, the state gives Rs 4, while Re 1 is collected from the beneficiaries.
She also expressed anger that PM Modi’s photos were not posted in stores in Telangana. “Our people are going to come and hang the Prime Minister’s banner here,” the Union Secretary told Collectors in the video, “You’ll make sure it doesn’t get removed.”
Union Finance Minister @nsitharaman ask @Collector_KMR How much the Center & State is contributing to support rice for the poor at the FPS meal shop; when he seemed to give the ‘wrong’ answer, she said #telangana#IAS the officer will revert with the correct answer in half an hour @ndtv@ndtvindiapic.twitter.com/qPZaNz40h7
– Uma Sudhir (@umasudhir) September 2, 2022
On financial matters, Minister Harish Rao has rebutted her assertions. “The center hardly contributes 50-55% overall. The remaining 45%, the state provides 10 kg of rice for free, spending Rs 3,610 crore per month,” he said at a press conference in Tupran, district Medak.
