Hyderabad, April 16: Telangana Minister for Transport and Backward Classes Welfare Ponnam Prabhakar has written to Om Birla, urging him to expunge controversial remarks made by BJP MP Tejasvi Surya regarding the formation of Telangana and to initiate strict action, including possible disqualification.
In his letter to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, the minister strongly objected to Surya’s comments made during a debate on the women’s reservation bills. According to Prabhakar, the BJP MP drew a comparison between the bifurcation of undivided Andhra Pradesh and the creation of Telangana with the partition of India and the formation of Pakistan.
Describing the analogy as “factually untenable” and “deeply insensitive,” Prabhakar emphasized that the formation of Telangana was the result of a democratic and constitutional process that reflected the long-standing aspirations of its people.
He stated that equating Telangana’s statehood with the traumatic and violent events of India’s partition undermines the legitimacy and sanctity of the democratic process, while also hurting the sentiments of the people of the state.
The minister further warned that such statements could foster regional discord, distort historical and constitutional realities, and weaken the spirit of unity and cooperative federalism.
Prabhakar has requested the Speaker to expunge the remarks from official parliamentary records and direct Tejasvi Surya to issue an unconditional apology to both the Lok Sabha and the people of Telangana. He also sought appropriate disciplinary action against the MP, including the possibility of disqualification from the House.
