Cong. can't escape blame: BJP

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, MAY 30. The State president of the BJP, Mr.Ch. Ramachandra Reddy, here on Tuesday blamed the Congress for the power tariff hike and held the ruling TDP only partially responsible for it.

Addressing a press conference, Mr. Ramachandra Reddy said that his party had been representing to the Government that transmission losses must be curbed in the State to keep power tariff within reasonable limits. However, no Government heeded this advice leading to the present crisis.

The Congress for long allowed inefficiency to seep in and transmission losses in the State were the highest - more than double compared to other States - he said. Expressing concern over the steep hike in domestic and agricultural power tariffs, he sought a single slab rate for pumpsets using up to 10 HP motor.

He blamed the Congress for the economic crisis that the country was mired in now and said its wrong priorities and policies had pushed the country into debts. He said the party's State executive would meet on June 6 and decide the course of action against the tariff hike. He said it was possible for the Government to roll back the tariff if it could curb transmission losses. Hike was not the answer to inefficiency-related problems, he added.

Mr.B. Dattatreya, Union Minister of State for Urban Affairs, said several Christian organisations had presented a memorandum to him seeking protection to lives and property of Christians. He said he spoke to senior police officials and asked them to nab the persons who planted explosive devices in churches and temples. People must be not misguided by the vilification campaign launched against the BJP or its other wings, he said.

He said he would bring the points raised by the Christians in their memorandum to the notice of the Home Minister and said ISI hand was not ruled out in fomenting trouble in the State.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Southern States
Previous : Four naxals killed in encounter
Next     : Another feather in IICT's cap