Apologise to people of Telangana, KTR tells state BJP chief

Hyderabad: Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) Working President K.T. Rama Rao has demanded state BJP President Bandi Sanjay to tender apology to the people of Telangana before going ahead with his padyatra.

Calling Sanjay’s Praja Sangrama Yatra a deception, he said that the BJP state President does not have the right to step in Palamuru (as the undivided Mahabubnagar district is called).

Before commencing his yatra, Sanjay should tender an apology to Palamuru and the entire Telangana people for the betrayal, injustice and negligence done by the BJP to the state, he demanded.

The BJP leader on Thursday began second leg of his Praja Sangrama Yatra, which, he says, is aimed at achieving democratic Telangana.

In an open letter to Sanjay, KTR, as the leader is popularly known, said that the fields in Palamuru, which were once known for accute drought, have now turned into fertile lands.

River Krishna was the lifeline of Palamuru. The BJP-led government had set up the River Krishna Management Board but there was no development in addressing the river water sharing disputes. This was pushing the district’s future in doubt, he said.

Telangana has been demanding for national status for Palamuru RangaReddy Lift Irrigation Scheme and Sanjay should explain the Centre’s response to the Palamuru people, he demanded.

“Bandi Sanjay should step into Palamuru only after explaining to Telangana people as to why the Upper Bhadra project in neighboring Karnataka is accorded national status and why Telangana is discriminated against,” said KTR.

People have been appealing for a new railway line to Palamuru via Nagarkurnool but all their pleas were completely ignored by the BJP and its leaders and government, he said.

KTR demanded Sanjay should let people know how much fund he has donated to temples in Telangana. KTR made this statement as Bandi Sanjay commenced padayatra after offering prayers at Jogulamba Gadwal temple. “The BJP which does politics in the name of Sri Ram should tell the people of Telangana about how much they have donated to the Sri Ram temple in Bhadradri,” he said, questioning if the BJP had donated even a single rupee to the Yadadri temple.

“BJP is used to playing politics in the name of God and religion. Bandi Sanjay should start his padyatra after responding to the plight of Telangana farmers,” said KTR, alleging that BJP leaders have misled the farmers of Telangana by encouraging them to cultivate paddy with the false promise of procurement of the crop by the central government. “But, they changed their words and made the farming community suffer. Name your Yatra ‘Rythu Dagaa Yatra’ or ‘Rythu Dhokha Yatra’, said KTR.

The TRS leader also asked Sanjay to apologize to the people for the BJP’s “incompetent governance”.

TRS Working President stated that the BJP has betrayed the people of Telangana by snatching seven mandals at the time of the state formation. He also asked Sanjay to talk about the unfulfilled promises of the BJP and why they did not deliver what was promised to Telangana under the AP Reorganisation Act.

“No padyatra can compensate for the betrayals done by BJP to Telangana. What was the point of doing padyatra when the BJP only spills venom on the people of Telangana,” KTR asked.