Hyderabad: The BRS working president K T Rama Rao on Thursday voiced strong objections to the India map presented by the Andhra Pradesh BJP Chief Madhav to Minister Nara Lokesh, which conspicuously excluded Telangana.
The BRS leader took to X to express his displeasure at the BJP leader’s actions. “We have fought for generations for our cultural identity, our rightful place in history, and our geographical position – TELANGANA,” said K T Rama Rao. “Today, your Andhra Pradesh state BJP chief Madhav, has belittled our struggle by gifting a United Andhra Pradesh map and ignoring the existence of Telangana. This is absolutely unacceptable and reflects the blatant disregard for the people of Telangana… for our state, and for our struggle, sacrifices of martyrs, and history. What are we if our history is erased?!” He concluded by stating, “Sir, I request you to clarify whether this reflects your party’s plan or political agenda. If it’s a genuine oversight, I demand an apology from your party leadership to the people of Telangana.”
Party MLC D Sravan Kumar described the India map displayed by Andhra leaders, deliberately omitting Telangana, as a “dangerous and deeply offensive act that strikes at the very heart of the identity of Telangana.” He found it “shocking that while Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh are clearly acknowledged on the map, Telangana, the 28th State of the Indian Union, born out of decades of democratic people’s struggle, historical sacrifice, and a constitutional process, is erased.”
The BRS leader asserted that this selective recognition by these senior leaders of Andhra Pradesh reflects “more than ignorance.” He claimed it reveals “deep-rooted arrogance, contempt, a deliberate denial, and a political conspiracy to delegitimise Telangana’s rightful existence and identity.” Sravan characterised the act as “a cruel assault on every soul of Telanganite who fought for Telangana’s statehood, an attack on the Constitution of India, which guarantees the territorial integrity and recognition of all its states, and a symbolic extermination of Telangana’s identity, heritage, and legitimacy.”
Sravan further criticised, stating that “on one hand, they loot Godavari and Krishna waters and now, they insult by showing a map of India that erases the very identity of Telangana.”
The BRS leader appealed to the Telangana DGP to immediately take suo motu cognisance of this grave act and register a case under the following provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (2023): Section 336 – Forgery of public documents; Section 337 – Forgery for the purpose of deception; Section 196 – Promoting enmity between regions; Section 352 – Criminal intimidation of Telangana’s political and cultural identity; and Section 353 – Public mischief likely to disturb peace and incite unrest. Sravan concluded, “This is not just about a map. It is about our struggle, our sacrifices, our history, our identity and, after all, our constitutional rights.”
