Dropping enough hints that the central government as well as the Congress high command have kept the Telangana issue in cold storage, AICC emissary for the state Vayalar Ravi has again tried to play down the intensity of the issue, saying, “Finding a solution to Telangana is not as simple as preparing appadams or making dosas.”
Continuing his “casual approach” towards the Telangana issue, Vayalar said that it was not that much easy to take a decision on the issue of bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.
Talking to reporters in Delhi on Monday, the AICC point man said that he could not say how much time it needed to resolve the issue.
When mediaperson asked him whether the Congress high command would arrive at a decision on the Telangana issue soon as it was holding consultations, Vayalar replied that the process of consultations was going on. But, he could not say when exactly the process would end.
Seemingly to rub salt into the wounds of Telangana people, the AICC point man said, “Media is more interested in the Telangana issue than the political leaders.” Also he fired at the media time and again for posing questions repeatedly on the Telangana issue.
When reporters wondered at his casual remarks on the Telangana issue, he replied, “If you pose routine questions to me on the Telangana issue, my reply will also be routine only.”
Exactly five months back also Vayalar tried to make light of the Telangana issue, by questioning, “Telangana? Where is it?”
On September 26 of last year, just four days before Telangana March, which held on Sept 30, the high commando made this sarcastic remark when reporters asked him whether the Congress Working Committee (CWC) had given any thought to Telangana.
Meanwhile, turning to the issue of the sufferings of Telugu people from Telangana region who are languishing in jails in Gulf countries, Vayalar, who is also the Union minister of overseas Indian affairs, said that his ministry had not received any memoranda from Andhra Pradesh in this regard.
He also made it clear that his ministry had no information about the Telugu people who were facing ordeals in prisons in Gulf countries. “If you have any information regarding this. Please provide us information so that our ministry will act upon it,” he told the mediapersons.
The TRS promptly came down heavily on Vayalar for making such “non-serious” remarks on the Telangana issue.
“Vayalar should apologise to the people of Telangana for insulting them with his casual remarks. If Congress leaders continue insulting our region, they will have to face dire consequences from the people,” TRS Legislature Party leader E Rajender warned.