Centre says ‘unwell’ KCR stayed away from Modi events, rejects KTR’s allegation

The Centre on Thursday rejected Telangana IT minister KT Rama Rao’s (KTR) allegation that chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) didn’t attend the inauguration of the statue of equality and did not receive Prime Minister Narendra Modi because the PMO sent a message saying that KCR “should not come”.

Modi had visited Hyderabad in February to unveil the statue of renowned philosopher Ramanujacharya. Telangana CM Rao was not present at the event.

The Centre said “KCR disrespected the people by not receiving the democratically elected PM when he visited Hyderabad”.

“According to some media reports, the son of Telangana CM has claimed that PMO sent a message that Shri KCR should not be a part of PM’s programs when he visited Hyderabad. This is patently untrue. No such message was sent by the PMO,” Union minister Jitendra Singh tweeted.

Singh claimed that it was the Chief Minister’s Office which had informed the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) that KCR would not be attending the event.

“Infact, the CM of Telangana was expected at the events on 5th February when PM visited Hyderabad. It was the CM’s office which informed the PMO that the CM was not feeling well and hence would not be attending,” the union minister said in another tweet.

The Centre alleged this was the second time KCR didn’t meet Modi when he visited the state recently. “He did it twice. Now, his son says PMO asked KCR not to come. Above lie is exposed by MoS PMO,” the government said.

KCR was also missing when the prime minister had visited the Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech Covid-19 vaccine facility in November last year.

In a recent TV interview, KTR questioned, “Is it not protocol violations on the part of the PMO and humiliation of a chief minister by a Prime Minister? Is that not an insult?”