Shivakumar’s letter to Foxconn Technology Group chairman Young Liu also showed how the Congress was trying to malign Hyderabad, by stating that “past incidents of communal disturbance in Hyderabad”
Published Date – 08:26 PM, Sat – 4 November 23
File photo of Congress Leader DK Shiva Kumar
Hyderabad: Indicating what was in store for Telangana if the Congress was given the chance that it was begging for, newspaper reports from Karnataka and a letter written by Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar went viral here on Saturday, making it clear that the Congress had plans to drain the country’s youngest State of its investments and pluck away investors who were already setting up shop here.
While the newspaper reports spoke how the Congress government in Karnataka was making ‘special efforts’ to relocate to Bengaluru the Apple Airpods making unit that Taiwanese manufacturing major Foxconn wanted to start in Hyderabad, Shivakumar’s letter to Foxconn Technology Group chairman Young Liu also showed how the Congress was trying to malign Hyderabad, by stating that “past incidents of communal disturbance in Hyderabad” could pose a potential risk to their business. This blatant lie was when there were no such communal incidents in the city in the last 9 and half years.
A severe backlash from Telangana prompted Shivakumar to immediately put out a social media post dubbing the letter a fake one, but the newspaper reports only confirmed what the Congress government in Karnataka was doing.
The dirty politics of the Congress triggered a stinging response from BRS working president KT Rama Rao, who said that if the Congress came to power in Telangana, leading multinational companies like Foxconn and others would be relocated to Bengaluru.
This would be done with the consent of Congress leaders in Telangana, he said, pointing out that this was evident from the fact Shivakumar’s letter to Liu. Showing a copy of the letter at a meeting with lawyers at Jala Vihar here on Saturday, Rama Rao said Shivakumar had also claimed that several international companies had expressed interest in relocating their units from Hyderabad to Bengaluru.
“If BRS chief K Chandrashekhar Rao is not in power, Telangana’s interests will be compromised. And DK Shivakumar’s letter to Foxconn is one example. I am not trying to terrify you but I am explaining the facts,” Rama Rao said, adding that this should serve as an eye-opener for many, who thought what difference it would make if the BRS was not elected to power.
If Telangana’s interests were pledged with Delhi and there was none to fight and oppose such moves, it would augur bad for the State, he said.
Stating that Bengaluru had become a new adda for Congress, Rama Rao said Congress tickets were being finalized at Bengaluru and not just in New Delhi, just as funds were being pumped in from the neighbouring State for the Telangana elections.
Expressing shock over Shivakumar’s letter, Rama Rao said Telangana had relentlessly pursued with Foxconn Group to set up their manufacturing units and invest in the State for about four years. Repeated appeals were made to the company management at different platforms, including United States and Taiwan in this regard, he said.
After Foxconn chairman Young Liu met Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao in May and declared that a manufacturing unit would be set up to provide employment to one lakh persons, an MoU was signed and 200 acres was allotted to the company at Kongara Kalan, Ranga Reddy. Construction was progressing at brisk pace and two floors were already completed. Mostly by April or May next, the plant would be ready for inauguration, he said.
Previous governments in the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh had different priorities. While, one government focused on the IT sector, another looked at only the agriculture sector. Under BRS chief K Chandrashekhar Rao’s leadership, Telangana had now emerged as the leading paddy producer in the country. The IT sector was witnessing rapid growth. As many as 24,000 new industries had come up in the State and at the same time greenery was being increased, he said.
Shivakumar claims it is a ‘fake’ letter
After Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar’s letter to Foxconn chairman Young Liu vent viral on social media, triggering a strong backlash in Telangana, the Congress leader immediately posted on social media claiming that it was a fake letter.
However, the damage was done by then, with the ruling BRS quick to point out what the Congress had in mind. BRS Hyderabad incharge Dasoju Sravan said this was a brazen betrayal of people of Telangana. “Like a cunning fox, on one hand DK Shivakumar makes false promises to develop Telangana and on the other hand, conspiracies are being hatched to destroy Telangana’s prospects,” Sravan said.
Sharing a copy of a news report, TSMDC Chairman Krishank Manne said on X (formerly Twitter): “This article based on DK Shivakumar’s letter to Foxconn demanding relocation of manufacturing unit from Hyderabad to Karnataka is atrocious…”
This Article based on DK Shivakumar’s letter to FoxConn demanding relocation of Manufacturing Unit from Hyderabad to Karnataka is atrocious.
Its not healthy to put pressure on Investors to deny opportunities to Telangana
This is in bad taste of Politics by Congress ❗️ pic.twitter.com/x2gjUiBfHr— Krishank (@Krishank_BRS) November 4, 2023
Realising that the letter was hitting the Congress hard ahead of the November 30 elections here, Shivakumar posted on X stating that he had lodged a complaint over the letter.
“The letter circulating on social media, saying that I have written a letter to Foxconn Groups to relocate the Apple Airpod manufacturing plant from Hyderabad to Bengaluru is fake. An FIR has been lodged at the Cybercrime Police station in this regard..”
