Telangana Assembly passes bill renaming Potti Sriramulu Telugu University

Hyderabad: Amid protests by opposition BJP members, the Telangana Legislative Assembly on Monday passed a bill renaming the Potti Sriramulu Telugu University here as Suravaram Pratap Reddy Telugu University.

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy said replacing the name does not mean disrespecting Potti Sriramulu, whose 58-day fast led to the creation of Andhra state out of the then Madras State in 1953.

Post formation of Telangana in 2014, the names of several universities have been changed, while they continued with the same names in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. Such universities have been named after Telangana luminaries in the newly-formed state, he said.

He said the existence of institutions with the same names both in Telangana and present day Andhra Pradesh would lead to confusion.

Without taking any names, Reddy said some leaders are trying to create misconceptions among certain sections over the change of name of Potti Sriramulu, he said.

He took exception to caste being invoked with regard to changing the name of Telugu university.

He announced naming the government nature cure hospital in the city after former chief minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh K Rosaiah.

The CM said he will write a letter to Union Ministers G Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay Kumar to name the newly-inaugurated railway terminal at Charlapally in the city after Potti Sriramulu.

BJP member Dhanpal Suryanarayana condemned the changing the name of Potti Sriramulu and sought withdrawal of the move. He suggested naming the Osmania University in the city after Suravaram Pratap Reddy as OU was a hub of Telangana statehood agitation.

He recalled that Potti Sriramulu was a great freedom fighter and a staunch follower of Gandhiji. He also hailed the contributions of Suravaram Pratap Reddy, a freedom fighter and historian from Telangana.

Suryanarayana said the name change is not only an insult to the Telugu people, but also to the Vyshya community both in Telangana and Andhra. Sriramulu belonged to Vyshya community.

Apparently taking exception to the comments of BJP members to rename OU, AIMIM member Ahmed Bin Abdullah Balala said Nizam was the first Raj Pramukh of undivided Andhra Pradesh. In spite of Nizam being the Raj Pramukh, some have "pain" over his name.

Objecting to certain comments of Balala, BJP floor leader A Maheshwar Reddy demanded that Balala withdraw his remarks and apologise.

Speaker G Prasad Kumar said records would be examined and an appropriate decision be taken. Later, the bill was passed by the House.