Won't Allow Secunderabad's Erasure: BRS

Sanath Nagar MLA and former minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav, belonging to the BRS, today alleged that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy was attempting to erase the historic identity of Secunderabad through arbitrary administrative decisions.

Addressing a press conference at his camp office in West Marredpally along with Secunderabad and Musheerabad MLAs, Talasani opposed the proposal to increase the number of GHMC divisions from 150 to 300 and to create three corporations - Hyderabad, Malkajgiri and Cyberabad - while excluding Secunderabad.

He termed the proposed restructuring of municipal wards and corporations dictatorial, and condemned the Congress government for taking "unilateral decisions" without consulting local residents or elected representatives.

He also alleged that the ward division was being carried out without ground-level surveys, and was based merely on Google Maps.

Furiously protesting the ignoring of Secunderabad in the proposed new scheme of things, Talasani demanded the formation of a municipal corporation for Secunderabad. He also announced a series of non-violent protest programs to achieve that end. A key meeting would be held on January 11 at Lee Palace, Balam Rai, and would be followed by a massive rally of 10,000 people on January 17 from the Secunderabad railway station to M G Road, he said.

Warning of intensified protests after that, including bandhs and a siege of the Secretariat if necessary, Talasani declared that the 220-year-old identity of Secunderabad would not be compromised. "If the Chief Minister has the courage, let him change the name of Hyderabad," he said.