Kota Neelima, Vice-President of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC), on Friday, 6 November sharply criticised Union Home Minister Amit Shah for allegedly failing to announce any Central assistance for drought-hit Telangana during his recent visit to Hyderabad. Neelima accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership of prioritising political theatrics over constitutional obligations toward a state grappling with severe agrarian distress.

Scale of the Drought Crisis

Telangana has officially declared drought in 365 mandals across 31 districts. Between 1 June and 31 October, the state recorded a 24 per cent rainfall deficit, leaving farmers, agricultural labourers, and urban households — including those in Hyderabad — facing acute shortages of food and drinking water.

The state government, led by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, is seeking ₹30,000 crore in drought relief from the Centre. The state's formal demands include NDRF support, deployment of a Central assessment team, release of the Centre's SDRF share, crop-loss assistance, input subsidies, and support for drinking water, fodder and groundwater restoration. The state has also sought 50 additional days of employment under the rural employment scheme VB-G RAM G.

What the Congress Leader Said

Neelima alleged that Shah, during his Hyderabad visit, chose to speak on communal issues rather than address Telangana's drought emergency. 'At this time, Union Home Minister Amit Shah visits Telangana and speaks about communal issues. This is Amit Shah's 'let them eat cake' moment. He is behaving like the arrogant aristocracy that led to the revolution,' she said in a statement.

She argued that communal politics offers no remedy for agrarian distress. 'Farmers need relief, agricultural labourers need employment, and families need protection from its economic consequences. Urban Telangana and Hyderabad need support through drinking water restoration. The BJP must explain why Telangana's most pressing concerns found no place in Amit Shah's address,' she said.

Questions Directed at Telangana's Union Ministers

Neelima also turned her criticism toward the state's two Union Ministers — G. Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay Kumar — asking them to account for what steps they had taken to secure Central drought relief for Telangana. She contended that their silence on the matter was equally telling.

She characterised the BJP's overall posture as a failure to separate political rivalry from constitutional responsibility toward citizens facing drought-induced hardship.

Congress's Stated Commitment

'While 31 districts battle drought, the BJP is busy staging political theatre instead of standing with Telangana people. The Congress Government, on the other hand, remains firmly committed to the people of Telangana. We are taking proactive measures to protect every household from the impact of drought, and we will continue to fight for every rupee of assistance Telangana rightfully deserves,' Neelima added.

The BJP has not issued an immediate response to Neelima's accusations. With the state government's ₹30,000 crore relief demand pending before the Centre, how the Union government responds — or does not — is likely to remain a flashpoint in Telangana's political discourse in the weeks ahead.