T-Bill An Attack On Telugu Self-Respect: Dronamraju

Government whip Dronamraju Srinivas on Wednesday described the draft Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill as an "attack on the self-respect" of the Telugu people.

Participating in the debate on the Telangana Bill in the State Legislative Assembly, Srinivas said that the Bill is unconstitutional and the Centre is trying to impose its will upon the Telugu people.

Demanding that the Centre roll back its decision to bifurcate the state, he said that there are no valid reasons to carve out the Telangana state.

He dismissed the allegations that the Telangana district was subjected to discrimination by the Seemandhra leaders.

He said that from Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy to Kiran Kumar Reddy, the Chief Ministers who hailed from Seemandhra performed their duties for the entire state.

Similarly, he said that the leadership of Marri Chenna Reddy and P V Narasimha Rao, who hailed from Telangana, was endorsed and accepted by the people of Seemandhra.

Srinivas alleged that the draft Bill, sent by the President of India, for views lacked any objective.

He asked as to how the Bill could be debated in the House with no clarity on its objectives.

He claimed that the Seemandhra people have made lot of contribution in the development of Hyderabad city.

He alleged that one Telangana leader warned that the tongues of Seemandhra people would be cut if they claimed Hyderabad was theirs.

"The same Telangana leader has also asked the CM to open a curry point in Hyderabad after bifurcation of the state," he further mentioned.

Srinivas alleged that Telangana JAC leader Prof. Kodanda Ram also gave a call to the Telangana people to boycott the products of industries owned by Seemandhra industrialists.

He described such remarks as an insult to all Telugu people and said that they are highly condemnable.

He expressed regret over Telangana MLAs praising the Nizam rule.

The speech of Srinivas was marred by protests by Telangana MLAs on multiple occasions.

Government chief whip Gandra Venkata Ramana Reddy, at a point, requested Speaker Nadendla Manohar to stop Srinivas' mike.

Members of the MIM party stormed into the well of the House, raising objection to his mention of Nizam.

MIM MLA Ahmed Pasha Quadri complained that Urdu translation was not available to the members and questioned as to what was the link between the draft Telangana Bill and the Nizam.

When the TRS members objected over usage of "unparliamentary" language by Srinivas, the Speaker assured them that such words would be automatically expunged from the records of the House.

He also advised the members to be careful in choosing their words before speaking in the House.

Congress legislator from Telangana, Anil, alleged that the comments made by Srinivas amounted to insulting the Telangana people.

TDP legislator from Telangana Errabelli Dayakar Rao alleged that the Kiran Kumar Reddy government denied permission to pro-Telangana organisations to hold meetings while it permitted the meetings of pro-Samaikyandhra organsations. (INN)