PM's remarks bring Telangana sentiment to the fore again

HYDERABAD: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks in Parliament on the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh has triggered a political slugfest in Telangana with both the ruling TRS and opposition Congress going all out to cash in on the sentiment.

Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), which has succeeded in sustaining the Telangana sentiment ever since forming the first government in the state in 2014, was quick to seize the opportunity. From seeking an apology from Narendra Modi to staging protests across the state to moving a privilege motion against him in the Parliament, the TRS went into an overdrive to capitalize.

The Prime Minister's comments gave an opportunity to the TRS to step up its attack on him for the alleged bias against Telangana and thus corner BJP's state unit which has been trying to project itself as the only viable alternative. Since the Prime Minister had made the comments while lashing out at Congress over the manner in which it bifurcated Andhra Pradesh, the opposition party too tried to use it to its advantage. While slamming Modi for his remarks, the Congress leaders tried to project this as a proof in support of their claim that the credit for carving out Telangana state goes to their party.

Both the TRS and Congress accused BJP of betraying Telangana and asked its state leaders how they will face the people of the state. Political analysts say the attacks by both the parties will make things difficult for the BJP. The TRS is trying to derive political mileage by cornering the BJP over what it describes as an insult to people of Telangana. The Congress, while slamming BJP, is claiming Modi's comments are an admission of the fact that it was the Congress that created Telangana.

Modi, on February 8 raked up the bifurcation issue while targeting Congress party while replying to the debate on motion of thanks to the President's Address in the Rajya Sabha. He alleged that Congress acted against the federal spirit.

Though he asserted that he was not against the creation of Telangana, TRS and Congress both accused him of insulting people of the state and 1,200 youths who laid down their lives for separate state.

The Prime Minister said the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government created three states (Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Uttarakhand) in the most peaceful manner. Modi, during his speech in Parliament, also remarked that the two states were suffering even today because of the manner in which the Congress bifurcated Andhra Pradesh.

A day after PM's comments, protests erupted in Telangana as ministers and legislators came on the streets to lead the charge, condemning Modi's remarks and setting afire effigies of the BJP. Political analysts say the PM's comments may prove counter-productive to his own party in Telangana

"PM with his remarks on bifurcation has only disturbed the growing harmony between the people of the two Telugu states. Time and again Modi made remarks which would not let people of Andhra Pradesh forget the pain they suffered in 2014. And this time, his rhetoric is surely going to irritate people in Telangana. While BJP has limited stakes in AP, the party's prospects in Telangana will get affected with such unsavory statements by the top leader," said analyst Palwai Raghavendra Reddy. IANS

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