Hyderabad:
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding that those appearing for competitive exams meant to recruit personnel to various Central government organisations must be allowed to use regional languages and not only Hindi and English.
“The students who do not study in English Medium or those who are not from Hindi-speaking states face serious disadvantage in these competitive examinations,” Mr Rao wrote in the letter dated November 18.
His said he was seeking equal and fair opportunity to students of all states and listed out the various Government of India departments and undertakings to which such exams are held: Union Public Service Commission, Railway Recruitment Board, public sector banks, and Reserve Bank of India.
This came shortly after Mr Rao targetted the Central government during a preparatory meeting on Wednesday for the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation polls, especially referring to sale of profitable government firms.
KCR said India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, had established the public sector units with some foresight, and that it was a matter of pride for the country.
“Modi says he sold tea at a railway station. Now he is selling Indian Railways itself,” Mr Rao said. Referring to the proposed disinvestment of Life Insurance Corporation (LIC), he said, “LIC has Rs 30 lakh crore in assets with 40 crore policy holders. LIC is the pride of India. Does it make any sense to sell such entities to corporates?”
Hyderabad is home to a large number of PSUs, including ECIL, BHEL, BDL. There are also huge number of employees in the city working for LIC, BSNL, Railways and other state firms.
At the meeting, the Telangana Chief Minister also called for the formation of an anti-BJP front, saying he will speak to all leaders against the ruling party at the Centre.
Municipal elections will happen in Hyderabad on December 1 and the TRS is going all out to retain its hold over the city. The BJP, which recently won the Dubbaka assembly byepoll, is hoping to make gains in the city.