Hyderabad, August 09: The divide in ruling Congress in Andhra Pradesh over the Telangana issue deepened today with leaders from Telangana region demanding an unconditional apology from ministers hailing from other regions for their alleged comments on the separate statehood demand.
Joining the chorus of criticism from TRS and Telugu Desam, Telangana Congress leaders slammed the ministers for their alleged comments before Sri Krishna committee that those seeking separate state are traitors of the nation.
“We (Congress leaders from Telangana region) had a meeting at the residence of senior party MLA K Jana Reddy today. The comments of ministers from coastal Andhra and Telangana are shocking. How can they say that those demanding separate Telangana state are traitors of the nation,” Congress MLC K Yadava Reddy told reporters.
Yadava Reddy, along with other Congress leaders, was speaking at the state Congress headquarters here, on the sidelines of a function organised to observe the anniversary of ‘August Kranti Diwas’.
Maintaining that the ministers from non-Telangana regions were testing the patience of Telangana people with their provocative remarks, he said Telangana Congress leaders would complain to party president Sonia Gandhi on the issue.
State Endowments Minister Gade Venkata Reddy, who made the presentation to the Sri Krishna committee on behalf of the ministers from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema, reiterated his denial about calling Telangana supporters as traitors.
“I have already said we did not make any such remarks. It is not correct to say that we described those seeking separate Telangana state as anti-nationals. We were not surprised with TRS president Chandrasekhar Rao making such an allegation against us, because, he is habituated to do that.
It is unfortunate that Congress leaders are also making such allegations,” Venkata Reddy said.
Alleging that the non-Telangana ministers described Telangana supporters as anti-nationals, TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao demanded the state governor that ministers be removed for insulting Telangana.
Several Congress leaders, including Congress Working Committee member K Keshav Rao, demanded an apology from the ministers for their “extreme” remarks.
Meanwhile, the state Congress committee observed the anniversary of Quit India movement today at Gandhi Bhavan, the state Congress headquarters.
Chief Minister K Rosaiah could not attend the function as he was not keeping well, Congress sources said.
–Agencies