Hyderabad, June 7: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has strongly condemned Telangana Chief Minister Revant Reddy‘s recent statement, which claimed that people from South Indian states should not be treated as ‘second-class citizens.’ The party labeled his remarks as anti-constitutional and anti-India, accusing Congress of engaging in divisive politics.
BJP national spokesperson Shahzad Poonawala released a video statement, comparing Reddy’s behavior to that of Jinnah, suggesting he is using language that divides India. He questioned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi about what actions he would take against Reddy for his comments.
Poonawala noted that while Congress once launched the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra,’ its current political stance resembles ‘Bharat Todo.’ He accused the party of working against both the Constitution and the nation, promoting a mindset that seeks to fragment the country.
The spokesperson emphasized that Reddy’s comments imply a rejection of the President and Prime Minister from North India. He pointed out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi hails from Gujarat in the West, while President Droupadi Murmu is from Odisha in the East. He deemed it unfortunate to make divisive statements based on North-South distinctions.
Poonawala asserted that such language from Congress leaders is not new, referencing past statements from Karnataka Congress leader D.K. Suresh and DMK leaders, alleging that Congress and its allies engage in politics that divides the country along regional and caste lines.
Another BJP national spokesperson, Pradeep Bhandari, also criticized Reddy’s remarks. He stated on social media platform X that Congress’s ‘divide and rule’ strategy would not succeed. He added that the President represents the entire nation, and such comments are an insult to the country.
Bhandari further mentioned that the central government has provided adequate representation to South India, citing Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan as examples. He asserted that under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, all regions of the country are given equal importance.
Revant Reddy had made his comments during a discussion at ‘The Hindu Huddle’ event in Bengaluru, stating that the political power of South Indian states is diminishing, leading to feelings of being treated as second-class citizens in Delhi. He claimed that while South Indians pay taxes, they will not accept political representation imbalances, alleging that the BJP is exacerbating this issue through the delimitation process.
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