Hyderabad: BRS working president KT Rama Rao on Thursday criticised BJP leaders over Telangana formation remarks in Parliament, accusing them of disrespecting the State’s creation.
In a statement, he condemned the comparison between Telangana’s formation and the India-Pakistan partition. He described such Telangana formation remarks as misguided and anti-Telangana.
KTR said BJP leaders had repeatedly undermined the pride of Telangana people. He added that they had also disrespected the sacrifices made during the statehood movement.
“BJP leaders have consistently made it a practice to undermine the pride of the people of Telangana and the sacrifices made by our revered heroes. From Prime Minister Modi to Member of Parliament Tejaswi Surya, there has been a persistent expression of opposition to Telangana, tainting the narrative surrounding its formation. The people of Telangana will remember these disparaging comments from the BJP,” he said.
Telangana formation remarks draw KTR criticism
KTR said the formation of Telangana did not occur due to goodwill or charity. Instead, he said, it resulted from a prolonged struggle and sacrifices by youth.
He accused the BJP of distorting history by comparing the democratic movement to tragic events like partition. Therefore, he said such Telangana formation remarks misrepresented the statehood movement.
He also expressed concern over the silence of BJP MPs from Telangana. He said eight MPs remained silent in Parliament when the remarks were made.
KTR noted that Congress MPs from Telangana had at least criticised the silence over the remarks. In contrast, he said BJP MPs failed to respond.
He said people were closely observing how elected representatives handled such issues. Moreover, he alleged that some MPs prioritised political interests over the State’s concerns.
KTR demanded that Tejasvi Surya immediately withdraw his remarks. He also called for an unconditional apology to the people of Telangana.
He further urged the BJP to apologise for the comments. Otherwise, he said, silence would suggest that such Telangana formation remarks reflected the party’s official position.