Textiles and Handlooms Minister P Shankar Rao on Monday found fault with Union Minister of State for human resources development Daggubati Purandareshwari for heaping up praises on former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy for 'entirely' authoring the welfare schemes in Andhra Pradesh.
The Minister condemned the statement issued by the Congress MP from Visakhapatnam and Union Minister of State for HRD who is believed to have issued a statement that the welfare programmes implemented by the ruling party in Andhra Pradesh were that of YSR. “The schemes were YSR’s but the funds were ruling party’s,” Ms Purandareshwari is believed to have said.
Condemning her views, the Minister said, “she must withdraw her statement.” However, Dr Shankar rao chose to evade a reply on a specific question related to the cited controversy later.
However the Minister maintained that it was Congress party which had done a ‘lot’ for the SC, ST, Mahilas among others and all the schemes were entirely that of Congress party and AICC chairperson Sonia Gandhi deserved to be praised.
While briefing media persons at the Secretariat, the Minister also highlighted the achievements under former prime minister Indira Gandhi who was instrumental in Nationalisation of Banks which paved the way for implementing various poor schemes.
In this connection, he also recalled how Sonia Gandhi effected loan waiver of Rs 70,000 crore in the country and Andhra Pradesh alone was the top beneficiary in the list of states, he claimed.
Referring to the shortage of power and water, Dr Shankar Rao stressed the need to have nuclear power for which, he said, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh was making all out efforts.
The nuclear power plants would be helpful to the Nation in the long run and which would reduce the pollution problem keeping in view the future generations, the Minister continued.
referring to the ‘eradication of corruption’ by congress mp rahul Gandhi and his resolve to fight out graft in the country, shankar rao pointed out that even socialist anna hajare had complemented the young leader on his efforts to fight corruption.
Anna Hazare, who had gone on hunger strike opposing the rampant corrupt practices in the country, also spoke in praise of the Prime Minister for his tireless and self-less work, Dr Shankar Rao stated.
Noted advocate of the Supreme Court Krishna Iyer was also quoted by the Minister as apologizing to Mr Rahul Gandhi for his comments on the latter on the issue of corruption. After Iyer commented, Dr Shankar Rao said, Mr Rahul Gandhi had later given a rejoinder in Kerala recently to him. The Minister was of the opinion that stalwarts like Iyer, Hazare were speaking in praise of Mr Gandhi who was trying his best to root out corruption.