Congress ruckus over Telangana Deputy CM Dr T Rajaiah’s remarks

The Congress and TRS fought among themselves claiming credit for the creation of Telangana on the last day of the session. Saturday also marked the fifth anniversary of KCR’s hunger strike for Telangana. 

 

The TRS-Congress tussle turned into a BJP-Congress fight after BJP state president G. Kishan Reddy made similar remarks against Sonia Gandhi. “Many lost their lives because of her. How can the Congress say that Sonia granted TS?” he asked. 

 

Dr Rajaiah remarked that while the TRS respected Sonia she had also abetted the deaths of hundreds of Telangana martyrs due to her indecision on statehood. The Congress had announced in 2009 that the process of formation of Telangana would begin but the state came into being only five years later. 

 

Comparing Sonia to a goddess Congress legislator M. Bhatti Vikramarka said, "Even though her party was dying she gave Telangana. How can you talk against her like this? Is this the respect you have?" He further compared her to Lord Krishna in Mahabharata and remarked that TRS will be consumed by its own ego. "Telangana wouldn't have been a reality if not for Sonia." 

 

Protesting Congress legislators demanded an apology from Dr Rajaiah. However, Dr Rajaiah said, "Had Telangana Congress leaders exerted pressure from the beginning would the martyrs have died? We respect her but many died because of the delay." 

 

Speaker S. Madhusudhan Chary expunged Dr Rajaiah's objectionable remarks but Congress demanded an apology. The debate claiming credit for Telangana had begun in the morning itself after TRS legislators said Telangana became a reality because of Mr Chandrasekhar Rao. 

 

Amid the chaos, the House was adjourned sine die. Two short debates on water grid and Mission Kakatiya were listed for the day but couldn't be taken up.