Hyderabad: Following the remarks of BJP MP Tejasvi Surya's remarks on formation of Telangana, Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar wrote a letter to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu whose party is an ally of NDA to restrain his ally Jana Sena and BJP to restrain in making such comment in future.
In his letter, which also conveyed birthday wishes to Naidu, Prabhakar emphasised that the creation of Telangana in 2014 was a fully constitutional process approved by Parliament. He cautioned that remarks questioning the legitimacy of the bifurcation could create unnecessary tensions among Telugu-speaking people.
The minister criticised statements made by Tejasvi Surya, who reportedly compared the state's bifurcation to the Partition of India and Pakistan. Prabhakar termed the analogy "misleading and inappropriate," urging that such comments be expunged from parliamentary records. He appealed to Naidu to write to the Lok Sabha Speaker in this regard.
He also expressed concern over remarks by Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, who allegedly stated that coconut trees withered due to the "evil eye" of Telangana, as well as comments attributed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who said the Congress divided Andhra Pradesh and Telangana "like protecting an infant while killing the mother." Prabhakar said such remarks had hurt the sentiments of the people of Telangana and contributed to the ongoing controversy. Highlighting the history of the Telangana movement, Prabhakar noted that the demand for statehood arose from long-standing concerns over the allocation of water, funds and employment opportunities. He recalled that the movement was largely peaceful and rooted in Gandhian principles, with many sacrifices made over the years.
The minister pointed out that the bifurcation was carried out under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, following due constitutional procedures in Parliament. More than a decade after the formation of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, Prabhakar said both states have developed their own identities and are progressing independently while maintaining cordial relations. He stressed that people from both states continue to live, work, and form familial ties without any sense of division.
Calling for unity, Prabhakar reiterated that Telugu-speaking people should move forward with mutual respect and cooperation. He warned that raising divisive issues or making provocative statements about the bifurcation would serve no constructive purpose and could undermine harmony between the two states.