Install NTR statue with party funds, not with public money: Ramachandra Yadav

Vijayawada: BCY Party national president Bode Ramachandra Yadav launched a scathing attack on the ruling coalition govt, accusing it of conspiring to misuse thousands of crores of public funds in the name of installing an NTR statue and developing a memorial park in Amaravati. He said the state’s financial condition was in a dire state, with the govt struggling to borrow funds even to pay monthly salaries to employees and pensions to retired staff. In such a grim situation, he said, attempting to melt away the hard-earned money of the people in the form of bronze statues reflects how badly misplaced the govt’s priorities have become. He made these remarks in a press statement issued on Friday.“On one hand, welfare schemes are being cut, and on the other, the govt claims there are no funds for development. In such circumstances, planning massive statues using 3,500 tonnes of bronze at a cost of Rs.1800 crores represents the height of administrative foolishness,” Ramachandra Yadav said. “People’s taxes and the loans raised by the govt should be spent on public welfare and the state’s development, not for political interests or for erecting statues of party leaders. If you truly have love and respect for NTR, build statues with your own money or with donations collected by your party. No one will object. But not a single rupee of public money should be spent on these statues,” he warned.Criticising the cultural justification offered by the govt, he said invoking slogans like “Telugu pride” and “Telugu glory” was nothing but deception. “True Telugu pride lies in feeding the poor, and true Telugu glory lies in providing jobs to unemployed youth, not in bronze statues. While the idea of setting up libraries and knowledge hubs is welcome, linking them with statue politics is unfortunate. If those funds are instead allocated to strengthening libraries and research facilities in govt schools and universities, lakhs of students would benefit,” he said.Calling ministers’ claims of seeking public opinion “laughable,” Ramachandra Yadav said no poor person or middle-class employee would ever want their tax money spent on statues. “If the govt stubbornly moves even one step forward, the BCY Party will lead a movement to stop the construction of any statue using public funds. No govt has the right to misuse public money. First address people’s basic needs and improve their living standards. We will not silently tolerate the misuse of funds in the name of statue politics,” he asserted. CPI (M) state secretary V Srinivasa Rao had also strongly condemned the state govt's decision to spend Rs.1800 crore for NTR park and status in the capital city.