K.T. Rama Rao, working president of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi, took to the stage at the India Today South Conference in Kochi on Wednesday, September 30, to condemn Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy for likening Hindu worship to a class divide. Reddy, speaking on Monday, September 28, had said that both Mahadev and Ram are revered deities but added, “Shiv is the God of the poor, while Ram is the God of the rich,” implying a split between the economically disadvantaged and the affluent. KTR labelled the remark “nonsense” and questioned whether two national parties were really intent on sowing religious discord. He asked where the government’s discussion on jobs and unfulfilled promises was, pointing to targets set for 2022 – universal potable water, a USD 5 trillion economy and a nationwide bullet‑train network – that, in his view, remain unmet. “Instead of tackling these tangible issues, the administration keeps raising faith‑based topics like Vande Mataram, the Uniform Civil Code or the Ram temple,” he said, adding that the focus should be on real problems such as theft in temples, not symbolic debates. The BRS leader also highlighted the BJP’s alleged alignment with the wealthy, contrasting it with the Congress‑led state’s narrative. KTR’s remarks underscored a broader frustration with what he described as a shift from development‑oriented dialogue to theological posturing, urging the ruling party to return to concrete policy discussions that affect everyday citizens in Telangana and beyond.
Image: siasat.com
📰 Source: Siasat Gulf