In a show of strong disapproval, Union Minister and Telangana BJP President G Kishan Reddy on Wednesday questioned the Congress government's decision to invite its senior leader Sonia Gandhi for the upcoming state formation day celebrations on June 2.
In an interview with PTI, Kishan Reddy highlighted the historical context of Telangana movement, pointing out that in 1969, when Congress was in power, 369 students lost their lives in police firing. He further noted that during the second phase of the Telangana statehood agitation, approximately 1,500 youths sacrificed their lives, with widespread public participation across Telangana in the struggle for a separate state.
Union minister G Kishan Reddy said: "Congress says it will invite Sonia Gandhi and felicitate her on the state (Telangana) formation day because she has given the statehood. Sonia Gandhi did not give the statehood. Telangana people fought for a separate state and achieved it. How can Congress invite a political leader for a state government function."
"If they want to felicitate her (Sonia Gandhi) they can do it in their party office. We don't have any objection to that," he said.
He demanded that the Congress government clarify to the public the rationale behind inviting Sonia Gandhi for the official function.
On May 20, following a Cabinet meeting, the Telangana government announced its decision to invite Sonia Gandhi to the state formation day celebrations on June 2.
Kishan Reddy Responds To Request On Cancellation Of Prajwal's Passport
In response to a query about Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara's statement that the Centre had yet to respond to a request to cancel the diplomatic passport of Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, Kishan Reddy asserted that "it was totally false."
He stated that the Congress was in power in Karnataka and they should take action, whether it was Prajwal Revanna or someone else. However, he accused the Congress of not taking action and Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar was intentionally avoiding the case.