File Photo: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhara Rao
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhara Rao or KCR had to face the Opposition fury for his plans to build a new Secretariat because the "vaasthu of the old secretariat is bad".
The Opposition said during the ongoing Budget Session on Tuesday that KCR is free to believe what he does and make vaasthu corrections, but why should the state exchequer foot the bill to allay his fears and insecurities.
Congress leader Jeevan Reddy's remarks irked KCR, who retorted that there were several reasons for his decision to shift the Secretariat, including for better administrative coordination and functioning.
The Chief Minister has handpicked vaasthu expert Suddala Sudhakar Teja for the job at a monthly salary of Rs 75,000. "Why shouldn't someone who works for the state and takes decisions use Vaasthu and create comfort? Vaasthu is nothing but ventilation and air. That is what makes miracles happen," he said.
KCR has been open about his abiding belief in vaasthu and even declared that the Secretariat and the Chief Minister's camp office would be relocated for reasons that also include Vaasthu suitability.
"Definitely this Secretariat has bad Vaasthu. History is proof that no one has prospered because of this. Let Telangana not suffer," he had declared earlier when he announced that a new secretariat would come up where the Government Chest Hospital is now located.
"He is wasting public money. If KCR is obsessed with Vaasthu, let him make corrections in his home and personal spaces," said Mohd Shabbir, deputy Congress leader in the Legislative Council. He also alleged that the government is spending over one thousand crores just to allay fears of the chief minister.
Deputy chief minister Mohd Mahmood Ali, however, believes the chief minister is only doing what everyone else in the state also believes. "When building anything, our CM consults all experts and that includes vaasthu too. This doesn't mean that he will only follow vaasthu. Or if they say, don't step out, he won't do, like NTR used to be."