Hyderabad: Telangana BJP president N Ramchander Rao has leveled serious allegations against the state's Congress government, accusing it of attempting to suppress the truth regarding the disappearance of 45 lakh metric tonnes of coal from the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL). He condemned the police for denying permission to a BJP delegation that sought to visit an SCCL mine to investigate the alleged coal scam.
BJP Leader's Statement
Speaking to reporters at the party's state office during the induction of entrepreneur Phani Kumar into the BJP, Rao claimed that Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy was spreading false propaganda against Union Minister G Kishan Reddy to conceal the alleged Singareni coal scam and prevent the truth from emerging. Phani Kumar is involved in mining, exports, and waste-to-energy ventures.
Rao criticized the Revanth Reddy government for using the police to obstruct a BJP fact-finding team, which included the party's floor leader Maheshwar Reddy, MLAs, and MLCs. The team aimed to investigate reports that nearly 45 lakh metric tonnes of coal had gone missing from Singareni Collieries mines.
Control and Responsibility
Rao pointed out that while the state government holds a 51% stake in Singareni and the Central government holds 49%, the Centre has no administrative or financial authority over appointments or transfers within the company. He emphasized that complete control rests with the state government. Despite this, Union Minister for Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy acted responsibly by writing to the Chief Minister requesting an inquiry into the alleged scam.
Education System Under Fire
The BJP state chief also criticized the government's decision to put up "No Admission" boards in government schools. He alleged that while the previous BRS government neglected the education sector, the present Congress government is destroying it. According to Rao, the education system has deteriorated due to the Revanth Reddy government's negligence.
He further alleged that the government is reducing the number of schools under the guise of rationalization, pushing many towards closure. Claiming that over 90% of government schools in the state are in dilapidated condition, he said many lack separate toilets for girls and other basic infrastructure. He also highlighted that despite the academic year having begun, new textbooks have not been printed, and uniforms are yet to be provided.
