TDP Inciting Regional Feelings Through Airport: T-Congress

Congress deputy floor leader in the Telangana State Assembly T Jeevan Reddy on Friday accused the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), through its government in Andhra Pradesh, of inciting regional feelings.

Participating in the debate opposing the renaming of the domestic terminal of the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Shamshabad in the Assembly, Reddy alleged that the AP Government hurt Telangana's sentiments by pressuring the Centre to rename the domestic terminal after an Andhra leader.

He also condemned the Centre for taking a unilateral decision on the issue.

He urged Telangana legislators, cutting across party lines, to register a strong protest with the Centre.

Jeevan Reddy said that multiple names were possible if the airport had more than one runway. However, the RGIA had only one runway, and therefore it could not be renamed.

He asked the Andhra Pradesh Government to name all the airports after NTR in its own State, and wondered why the TDP Government there was interesting in getting the airport in Hyderabad renamed after NTR.

He asked if the TDP Government was planning to name any project in Andhra Pradesh after a Telangana leader.

The Congress MLA demanded that the renaming of airport should be included in the agenda during the visit of an all-Party delegation from Telangana to the Centre.

He asked the TDP to be cautious on such issues, and restrain from inciting regional feelings. (INN)