Revanth slams Opposition for criticising Governor’s address

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Wednesday said the government was committed to taking forward the Hyderabad Industrial Lands Transformation (HILT) policy as part of its broader development agenda, adding that he was ready to order a probe into allegations related to HILT and the controversy surrounding Transferable Development Rights (TDR) if the Opposition formally sought an investigation. He said the government had nothing to conceal and was open to scrutiny on issues concerning land administration.

Describing the address of Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla to the joint sitting of the Legislature as “historic”, he stated that the speech had reflected the aspirations of the people and articulated a clear vision for the State’s comprehensive development. He slammed the Opposition parties, particularly the main Opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), for criticising the Governor speech.

Replying to the debate on the Motion of Thanks in the Telangana Legislative Assembly, he said the Governor’s speech was not merely a formal address but a policy document that laid out the government’s roadmap for the future. It encapsulated both immediate priorities and long-term strategies, drawing from past experiences to shape future planning, he said.

The Chief Minister questioned whether the Opposition had even examined the “Telangana Rising 2047” vision document, which, he said, had been prepared in coordination with intellectuals and experts across sectors. The document aims to guide Telangana’s transformation into a $1 trillion economy by 2034 and a $3 trillion economy by 2047.

Mr. Reddy said the government had conceptualised development under three broad categories — CURE, PURE and RARE.

Alleging lack of cooperation from the principal Opposition, he said it was driven more by “the pain of losing power” than by public interest. He criticised the absence of the Leader of the Opposition and former CM K. Chandrasekhar Rao from the Assembly, and questioned the propriety of drawing salaries and allowances without attending proceedings. He noted that the Leader of the Opposition had received over ₹1.06 crore in salary and allowances since December 1, 2023.

He also expressed disappointment over the Opposition’s absence from key occasions, including the unveiling of the Telangana Thalli statue in the Assembly premises and events relating to the Governor.