Hyderabad, Mar 25 (TNT): Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Chinta Mohan on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on the Centre, criticising its foreign policy, proposed increase in parliamentary seats, and handling of key socio-economic issues.
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ressing a press conference here, Mohan invoked former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s role during the 1991 Gulf War, claiming his diplomatic outreach to global leaders, including Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev and Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, helped bring about a ceasefire on February 28, 1991.
He said Rajiv Gandhi demonstrated decisive leadership by engaging directly with international stakeholders.
Contrasting this with the present leadership, Mohan alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign policy is weak and being “mocked globally.”
He asserted that Congress governments had never acted as subordinates to the United States and credited Rajiv Gandhi with the ability to take bold initiatives to prevent conflict.
Backing Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s recent remarks in Delhi, Mohan criticised the proposal to increase MP and MLA seats, calling it “illogical” and a diversion from pressing public issues such as rising fuel prices and shortages.
He pointed to long queues at petrol stations in Hyderabad as evidence of public distress.
Raising concerns over regional imbalance, he noted that Uttar Pradesh has around 160 Lok Sabha seats while the entire southern region has fewer than 200, terming it inequitable.
He warned that excessive political concentration in a few northern states could have serious implications for national unity.
Mohan highlighted that southern states including Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala contribute significantly to central tax revenues, yet remain underrepresented. He demanded that the proposed delimitation exercise be reconsidered.
Welcoming the expansion of women’s reservation, he simultaneously criticised a recent Supreme Court judgement, calling it “incorrect” and stating his opposition to it.
On social justice, he raised the issue of Dalit Christians, questioning the denial of Scheduled Caste status and promising that the Congress would amend the Constitution to address the issue if it returns to power in 2029.
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