Hyderabad, September 20: Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) president K Chandrasekhar Rao’s remarks that all those born in Telangana should be considered Telangana biddalu and his surprising bonhomie with Vijayawada MP Lagadapati Rajagopal have raised the hackles of Telangana advocates who have been demanding 42 per cent quota in judicial posts for those from the region.
Rao made the remarks during a debate on a Telugu news channel on Saturday night. Vijayawada MP Lagadapati Rajagopal, who also participated in the debate, agreed with Rao. Contrary to public perception, the duo exhibited respect for each other to such an extent that Rao found Lagadapati’s courage praiseworthy and professed love and admiration for him.
The new-found “love” between the two opposite poles in the political spectrum took the T advocates by surprise who saw “wrong signals” in the TRS chief ’s assertions and expressed fear that “Andhras” born in Telangana could stake claim to “Telangana jobs.” Bar Council of India member Rajender Reddy wondered if Rao was diluting their one-week long agitation.
The TRS chief, however, clarified on Sunday that he had made the comments in a generic sense.
“Telangana advocates should shed their misconceptions,” he said.
He reiterated that all those born in the region would be sons of the soil and pointed out that many people, with roots in Andhra, were born in Nizamabad and Mahabubnagar districts. “All those who are born here are our atmeeyulu,” Rao said but remained silent on Lagadapati.
–Agencie