60 Sarpanchs Died By Suicide, BRS Must Give Rs 1 Cr To Families: Telangana Congress Chief Revanth Reddy

He demanded that the KCR government clear the funds for the sarpanchs to carry out development works in their respective villages.

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president A Revanth Reddy on Monday alleged that 60 sarpanchs had died by suicide in the state as the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government had diverted the funds allotted by the 15th Finance Commission to other schemes.

The TPCC chief urged the BRS government to compensate Rs 1 crore to the families of bereaved sarpanchs in order to restore the public's faith in the traditional form of village governance.

Speaking at a Sarpanch Dharna held by TPCC Rajiv Gandhi Panchayati Raj Sangathan at Indira Park in Hyderabad on Monday Revanth Reddy said, "CM KCR used the 15th Finance Commission to transfer funds intended for sarpanches to other works. KCR diverted these funds for contractors."

He demanded that the KCR government clears the funds for the sarpanchs to carry out development works in their respective villages.

Meanwhile, Revanth criticised Municipal Administration & Urban Development (MAUD) Minister KT Rama Rao for neglecting to visit the parts of the Old City which still remained submerged in flood water.

"If a sarpanch faces suspension if saplings die, what punishment does Minister Rama Rao, the CM's son, deserve for the deaths of 30 people washed away in the Hyderabad floods?" Revanth questioned. Earlier, a sarpanch in Rajanna Sircilla district has been suspended for six months by district collector for destroying saplings planted under the 'Haritha Haaram' programme (an aforestation programme).

Terming the BRS as “Basmasura Rastra Samithi”, he warned that even the Bhasmasura Samithi will not save if KCR does not change his mind on the issue of sarpanchs.

Senior Congress leader Jeevan Reddy on Monday said that the Congress party will stand by the sarpanchs and continue to fight until the BRS government releases funds to gram panchayats.

(With inputs from ABP Desam — It is a Telugu platform of ABP News. For more news, commentary and latest happenings from two Telugu states, follow https://telugu.abplive.com//amp)