Hyderabad, Jan 27 Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay on Monday dismissed the criticism of the Centre by Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy over denial of Padma awards to prominent personalities suggested by the state government, saying the awards are given to those who deserve them.
“How can the Padma award be given to Gaddar? How can the award be given to someone who killed BJP workers and police personnel,” he asked while talking to media persons here.
The state government had recommended Padma Vibhushan to revolutionary balladeer and former Maoist ideologue Gaddar, who passed away in 2023. Revanth Reddy had expressed his displeasure over the Centre ignoring the names recommended by the state government and termed it an insult to Telangana.
He also plans to write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not giving Telangana a fair share in Padma awards. Telangana got just two of the 139 awards, including Padma Vibhushan to noted Gastroenterologist Duvvur Nageshwar Reddy and Madiga Reservation Porata Samiti (MRPS) founder Manda Krishna Madiga.
Revanth Reddy said the State should have got at least five awards. The state government had recommended prominent personalities like Gaddar (Padma Vibhushan), Chukka Ramaiah (Padma Bhushan), Andesri (Padma Bhushan), Gorati Venkanna (Padma Shri), and Jayadheer Tirumala Rao (Padma Shri) for excellence in various fields.
Bandi Sanjay also warned the Telangana government that if it renames the Central welfare schemes, the Centre will implement the schemes without the state government’s involvement. He said that the Centre would not keep quiet if the Congress government in the state continued to change the names of the Central schemes.
The BJP leader, however, clarified that the Central schemes will not be stopped. He said the schemes would be implemented without involving the state government and it would be ensured that the benefits directly reach the targeted sections.
He alleged that the government is not sincere in the development of Telangana. He claimed that the Centre was extending all support for the development of Telangana. He said Rs. 12 lakh crore were provided to the state in the last 10 years. He also claimed that if the welfare schemes are reaching the poor and development works happening in villages it is all because of the Central schemes.
Bandi Sanjay said the state government taking funds from the Centre, implementing the welfare schemes but not using the name given by the Centre. He alleged that the state was not following the decisions taken by the Union Cabinet about the names of the schemes.
“The state government has changed the names of PM Awas Yojana and Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana. Let the state government spend its funds and name the schemes after whomever it likes. We will have no objection if they name the schemes after Indira Gandhi, Osama Bin Laden or Dawood Ibrahim,” he said.
Claiming that the Centre is giving free ration to the poor, he said the Congress government is putting photographs of its own leaders. The MoS said the state government changed the name of PM Awas Yojana to Indiramma Awas Yojana. He was referring to the Indiramma Indlu housing scheme launched by the state government along with three other schemes on January 26.
The BJP leader voiced the apprehension that the approach of the state government may result in injustice to the poor. He hastened to add that the Centre will not allow injustice to the poor and would make sure that the benefits of various Central schemes reach directly to them.
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