Urging BRS leaders to stop playing politics with deceased workers of power looms, Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said that the government was releasing funds to clear their dues.
At a press conference on Friday, he asked who was responsible for the unfortunate deaths of weavers. Is is the Congress that came to power four months ago or BRS that ruled the State for 10 years,” he asked.
₹50 crore released
He urged the power loom owners not to resort to any extreme step as the government was ready to support them financially and provide medical facilities. He said the government has released ₹50 crore to clear dues and another ₹50 crore will be be released soon. He said the government, through GO 1, has decided to buy from weavers.
Mr. Prabhakar also said that the BRS government could not fight with the BJP government at the Centre in protecting the interests of weavers. Despite the Centre sanctioning a textile cluster for Telangana, the previous government could not set it up in Sircilla. B. Vinod Kumar took that cluster to Warangal, he alleged.
The Minister also said that for the first time in Independent India’s history, BJP government imposed GST on the textile sector and BJP MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar did not object. “Such MPs are seeking votes again,” he said.
Mr. Prabhakar said as an MP, he had taken up several programmes for women and handloom workers. “We have given 12,000 Antyodaya cards that give 35 kg rice to their families.”
Criticising the BJP for playing politics with Hindu Gods, he said the BJP leaders were behaving as if the country had seen gods for the first time. Seeking votes in the name of god is nothing but insulting the god and people should be wary of it. Questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent speeches inciting religious hatred, he said the country has never seen a Prime Minister stooping to such levels.
