"Lip Service": Citing Tribals, KTR Hits Out At Rahul Gandhi On Caste Census

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's promises on caste census and doing away with the 50 per cent cap on reservation was challenged today by Bharat Rashtra Samithi's KT Rama Rao, who had brought a number of tribal women to Delhi to highlight their plight.  

"You (Rahul Gandhi) are speaking on Dalits and tribals, but the women of Telangana are seeking for your help but you aren't there. What use is this lip service?" he said in an exclusive interview to NDTV.

At a press conference earlier, he said, "An hour ago LoP Rahul Gandhi was speaking in Ranchi. We want him to listen to the tribal women of Telangana who have suffered".

"The women complain that their lands are being taken, and they don't know where their sons and husbands are... Atrocious violations of human rights has happened. These women have met officials at NHRC (National Human Rights Commission) and submitted their plea," added the Working President of BRS, who has been vocal about Congress "misrule" since the Grand Old Party unseated the BRS in the state election held earlier this year.

The Congress and the BRS have accused each other of complicity in the violence at Lagacharla village, where government officials were attacked when they had gone to discuss land acquisition with the villagers. The Congress said the violence was "KTR's plan to destabilise the government", pointing to what they called "fraudulent" acquisitions during the BRS rule.

"You acquired land to make a pharma village. But the people of the land did not want to give it. And now this is the violent attack on them. They are being tortured. Is this democracy?" said Mr Rao, who was a minister in the government led by his father, K Chandrashekar Rao.  

"The CM's brother -- he doesn't hold any position -- openly threatens tribals. But he marches in with goons while the police acted as the private army of the Chief Minister. And there is absolute silence from the national capital and Rahul Gandhi. Women and children being tortured but complete silence,' Mr Rao, popularly dubbed KTR, added.