India's economy now in recession, says TRS' K T Rama Rao

Stepping up the attack on the BJP, the ruling TRS on Thursday hit out at the handling of the economy, alleging it was now in a recession, preceded by a slowdown for eight consecutive quarters prior to the Covid-19 lockdown.

"While the NDA government may call it an act of God, I would call it an act of fraud....What they have done, what they have perpetrated on this country, is an act of fraud, without a question. Lakhs of workers have suffered," said TRS Working President K T Rama Rao.

Rao, who is the Municipal Administration minister, made the comments at a 'Meet the Press' at the Press Club of Hyderabad, a day after his father and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao launched a scathing attak on the BJP while sounding the poll buge for the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation polls. He noted that there has been eight consecutive quarters of slowdown, "which has now led to a recession and is a fact."

On BJP's reported claim that the development in Hyderabad (with Rs 67,000 crore as announced by TRS government) has been possible with the Centre's support, he recalled late N T Rama Rao's comments that "the Centre is a myth." The ruling party at the Centre should show at least one thing it has done for Hyderabad, he said.

While people in Telangana paid Rs 2.72 lakh crore as taxes to the Centre in the last six years, the state received only Rs 1.40 lakh crore through Central devolution, which is the state's right, he said. "The BJP made tall claims by returning 25 paise after having taken Rs one," he said.

While the NDA government released Rs 600 crore to Karnataka just four days after its Chief Minister wrote to the Centre, there was no response to one written by the Telangana Chief Minister six weeks ago, seeking assistance for flood relief works in Hyderabad, he claimed.

Asked if the CM's comments of convening a conclave of opposition parties against the disinvestment and "anti- farmer" farmer policies of NDA government would materialise or if was a knee-jerk reaction to TRS' loss in the Dubbak Assembly bypoll, Rama Rao said he was focusing on local issues and would leave the matter to party chief (Chandrasekhar Rao).

He brushed aside reports of an understanding between TRS and AIMIM for the December 1 GHMC polls and said the party would contest all 150 wards and defeat them. "AIMIM may have supported TRS government's policies but it should not be construed as friendship and interpreted incorrectly," he said.

TRS had also supported BJP on issues like GST, he said. Rama Rao dwelt on the TRS government's achievements since coming to power in 2014 like addressing shortage of water, electricity,industrial investments and other matters, "without putting any burden on the people."