Minister's Dig At Naidu's Fast

Undoubtedly taking a dig at Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday, Minister for Minor Irrigation T G Venkatesh stated that the Satyagraha of today is quite different from what national leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Potti Sriramulu had practised during their days.

He said that they undertook Satyagraha for a noble and national cause to benefit people, unlike today's hunger strikes, which were a mere show.

"Today, the person who undertakes the fast unto death comes out cheerful and unscathed at the end, taking saline, but those who follow him became targets," he added.

"Anybody, who goes on hunger strike will receive saline after two or three days. This is not Satyagraha," Venkatesh stated.

The minister was speaking after releasing a special issue on 'Peddayana' (former chief minister K Rosaiah) which was brought out by the Arya Vysya Chaithanya Vedika here today.

Venkatesh added, "If a Satyagrahi accepts cyanide instead of saline, things would be different."

Recalling the Satyagraha practiced earlier by Mahatma Gandhi and Potti Sriramulu, the minister clarified that they were the real leaders who would sacrifice their lives for a cause.

Stating that Naidu began his agitation only to retain his identity in politics, Venkatesh said it was a mere gimmick.

Asked about Rosaiah's abrupt resignation, the minister made it clear that the former chief minister himself was not interested in continuing in office. Explaining Rosaiah's comment at Puttaparthi Airport that he would tender his resignation on the spot to the waiting media persons on the spot, the minister made it clear that he (Rosaiah) was irritated and was forced to say that in a fit of anger and blamed the media for the incident.

When a reporter asked him whether the minister was not hurt by a Vysya chief minister quitting unceremoniously, Venkatesh replied that he was not pained when Rosaiah himself was not pained.

Courtesy: INN