BJP ready for Congress-BRS debate, says Ramchander Rao

Telangana BJP president N. Ramchander Rao asserted that his party is ready to facilitate a public debate between the ruling Congress and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), which have recently been challenging each other on governance and corruption issues.

He said the BJP would provide a platform for both parties to present facts, figures and evidence regarding allegations related to governance failures, corruption and tender-related irregularities. “The BJP is prepared to expose both the Congress and BRS before the people of Telangana,” Mr. Rao said, backing Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar’s proposal for such a debate, which was recently aired through a post on social media platform X.

Mr. Rao said the BJP would also use the opportunity to highlight what he described as the “transformative contribution” of the Narendra Modi-led Central Government to Telangana’s development.

Later, speaking at the launch of the book ‘Fighters Against Emergency in Nalgonda District’ authored by Chinta Mutyala Rao, Mr. Rao alleged that the Congress party, which had “murdered” the spirit of the Constitution during the Emergency, was now levelling baseless allegations against the BJP, which he claimed had consistently stood for constitutional values and democracy.

Even after 50 years, Congress had not apologised for the Emergency, he said and demanded that the party apologise to the families of those who were imprisoned, tortured or otherwise affected during the period. Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi imposed the Emergency to suppress political opponents, democratic forces and dissenting voices after the Allahabad High Court invalidated her election, he alleged.

Several RSS and Bharatiya Jana Sangh workers were jailed, while students, lawyers and others faced arrest and harassment. Pressure was exerted on the judiciary. “It is our responsibility to ensure that the truth about this dark chapter of Indian history reaches every citizen, especially the younger generation,” he said.

Mr. Modi had taken steps to ensure that the Emergency and its lessons form part of educational discourse so that future generations understand this significant chapter in India’s democratic history, he added.