‘Gujarat’ hegemony would not be tolerated by Telangana: Revanth

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy said he would give respect to Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister of the country but would oppose him tooth and nail if Telangana was insulted by the ‘Gujarat’ hegemony.

“If the BJP wants to intimidate Telangana people or me, it should remember how the Telangana society treated the Nizam hegemony and the Razakars,” he said addressing the Jana Jathara sabha at Korutla in the Nizamabad Parliament constituency on Wednesday.

Mr. Reddy said he was served notices by the Delhi Police for questioning the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) policy on reservations and its plans to abolish reservations in the country. “Is this the way Mr. Modi wants to treat his political opponents,” he said and asked the Prime Minister to explain his contribution to Telangana in the last 10 years.

Using the Telugu analogy ‘Gadhidha Guddu’ (Donkey’s Egg), which implies nothing has been done and empty promises, Mr. Reddy along with Nizamabad candidate T. Jeevan Reddy showed the campaign symbol with sketches of eggs to the gathering and asked ‘What did Telangana receive from Mr. Modi?’. The gathering raised the slogan ‘Gadidha Guddu’.

Gathering at the Congress’s public meeting in Korutla, Jgatial on Wednesday. (Source: By Arrangement)

The Chief Minister recalled all the ‘unfulfilled’ assurances given to Telangana in the AP Reorganisation Bill and said the BJP has no answer for these. So they conveniently use the communal tone. He said Telangana society rejected K. Chandrasekhar Rao for similar arrogance and brought the Congress back to showcase its self respect.

Mr. Reddy asked what was BJP’s problem if Rahul Gandhi wanted to give weaker sections their deserved opportunities. Congress gave 4% reservations to poor and backward Muslims and it reflects the party’s concern for the backwardness in the country.

The Chief Minister praised the Nizamabad candidate T. Jeevan Reddy terming him as an honest person gaining nothing personally in his 45 years of public life. Mr. Jeevan Reddy always stood for the people and has a clean record as a politician. He said Telangana needs such leaders to be present in the Parliament.