Why are KCR and KTR silent on Kaushik Reddy’s comments: Congress

Telangana Congress accuses BRS MLA of creating division over nativity issue, questioning BRS leaders' motives and loyalty.

The Telangana Congress accused the BRS MLA Padi Kaushik Reddy of trying to create a wedge between people bringing up the nativity issue of BRS MLA Arikepudi Gandhi, who defected to the Congress recently.

Reacting to the comments of Mr. Kaushik Reddy, the Congress leaders alleged that BRS chief K. Chandrashekhar Rao and BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao were behind the comments and that they were trying to rake up Telangana sentiment as they had lost people’s support now.

Addressing separate press conferences, former MLA Kuna Srisailam Goud, Fisheries Corporation Chairman Mettu Sai Kumar and others urged Mr. KCR and Mr. KTR to condemn the derogatory tone and tenor in which the comments against Mr. Arikepudi Gandhi were made that he was a settler.

Mr. Sai Kumar wondered whether Mr. KCR was not aware of the origins of Mr. Gandhi when he admitted him into the party and gave him the party ticket twice. After using the Andhra settlers as vote banks, the BRS leadership was now raking up Telangana sentiment. This showed the ‘use and throw’ attitude of the BRS leaders, he alleged.

Mr. Goud demanded that the BRS suspend Mr. Kaushik Reddy from the party immediately for instigating people in the name of region. “Why are BRS leaders supporting Mr. Kaushik Reddy’s comments,” he asked, and reminded how Mr. KCR went to the residence of then Minister in the Andhra Pradesh government and declaring that there cannot be any difference between Andhra and Telangana people in Telangana.

Senior leader Addanki Dayakar described Mr. Kaushik Reddy as a comedian in politics and said his comments on Mr. Gandhi were laughable. He said KCR used the people of Andhra origin in Hyderabad for political benefit and now was trying to rake up sentiment yet again.

“Wasn’t it Mr. KCR who said he would go to any length to save the Andhra origin people in Hyderabad after forming the BRS government in 2014, he asked. Why is he silent now?” he asked.