Andhra Pradesh BJP general secretary Vishnuvardhan Reddy has hit out at Telangana minister Vemula Prashanth Reddy for his disparaging remarks against the people of Andhra Pradesh and demanded stern action be taken against him.
On Tuesday during a visit to Mahaboobnagar, Vemula Reddy raked up a controversy by using a local Telugu idiom 'all those in Lanka are demons' to say that people from Andhra are like demons. He added that people from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana will be always different and that "Andhraites will always be anti-Telangana."
The Telangana Roads and Buildings Minister also said that if former Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy had been a "water thief", his son and current Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had turned out to be a "bigger thief".
Faced with criticism, Vemula Reddy today released a note stating that his comments were aimed at Andhra leaders and not the common people of the state.
Vishnuvardhan Reddy, while addressing media persons at Anantapur's Kadiri, said: "Telangana Minister Prashant Reddy's comments are likely to spark clashes between people of both states. Such comments have been made keeping forthcoming elections in view."
"Andhra government should not step back on the matter of projects in Rayalaseema region. The state need not play a soft stand on illegal projects of Telangana. All parties in the state will support the state government in this regard," he added.
He accused the Telangana government of intentionally spreading malicious propaganda on the lift irrigation project. He said, "At the same time, the Telangana government is constructing illegal projects like Palamuru and Dindi projects. The government should go to court regarding these projects."
"Telangana government has filed a case in court against the Potireddypadu head regulator project though it is mentioned in the 11th schedule of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act. Why is the state not approaching the court on Palamuru and Dindi projects which are not in the 11th schedule of the AP Reorganization Act?" the leader questioned.
The BJP leader also enquired about the fate of the discussion on Godavari's waters.
"Jagan and KCR had started discussions on sharing Godavari waters. What happened to those discussions now? Why is KCR not responding on the issue of Krishna waters?" he said.
The leader claimed that the Bachavat tribunal categorically mentioned the shares of AP and Telangana in Krishna waters and that there is no need for a dispute in the matter.
"Had Andhra government acted seriously from the day one when the Telangana government had gone to court on Potireddypadu head regulator project, now this situation would not have arisen," he added.
He further alleged that YSRCP leaders are acting as mute spectators on the rights of Andhra people on water shares for their selfish business interests in Hyderabad. He said that it is shameful that YSRCP is hand in glove with the TRS and throwing the interests of Andhra people at bay.
"49 out of total 52 MLAs and all MPs from Rayalaseema region are from YSRCP only. But none of them is speaking for regional interests. Today there is no irrigation water not even drinking water available in the Rayalaseema region," he said.
( With inputs from ANI )
Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor