Telangana CM questions Amit Shah's delimitation assurance, accuses BJP of power grab

Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Friday questioned Union Home Minister Amit Shah's statement that southern states would not lose a single parliamentary seat due to delimitation, asking on what basis such an assurance was made.

Addressing reporters, he also accused the BJP of using delimitation as a pretext to secure "permanent" power by increasing seats in "BIMARU states" while diminishing the political significance of the southern states.

"This will lead to a severe crisis in the country," he claimed.

Amit Shah's assertion that no southern state would see a reduction in the Parliamentary representation amounted to saying that there will be no increase either, he added.

"... Amit Shah ji says there will be no decrease in the existing (number of seats). He is not saying how much the increase will be for southern states. What is your term of reference (for delimitation)? Without saying whether it is on the basis of population or pro rata, how can Amit Shah ji say there will be no decrease." Revanth Reddy stressed that the total number of Lok Sabha seats to be increased should be determined first, followed by their modalities for distribution in the states. He asserted that the increase should be proportional.

Citing an example, he said that if Uttar Pradesh, which currently has 80 constituencies, sees a 50 per cent increase, it would gain 40 additional seats. Following the same logic, Telangana, with 17 Lok Sabha seats, should get nine more.

Reddy warned that if the southern states are "punished" for successfully controlling population growth as per the Centre’s directives, it could trigger a "revolt." "BJP is conspiring to weaken southern states politically and financially because BJP does not have a foothold in the South. Their plan is to ensure that the states where they have little presence should not have a share at the Centre. That conspiracy will be resisted," he said.

On the ongoing language row in Tamil Nadu, Revanth Reddy opined that a language should be learnt with interest and any attempt to thrust a language would not be acceptable to anyone.

The CM pointed to recent orders issued by his government for compulsory teaching of Telugu in all schools.

Stressing that Telugu is an ancient language which needs to be protected, he said the government is also issuing its orders in Telugu.

"We have also demanded conducting UPSC exams in Telugu," he said.

Training his guns on Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, the CM alleged that the former is playing the role of 'Saindhav' vis-a-vis the state government's projects.

He alleged that Kishan Reddy exerted pressure on his ministerial colleagues to not include expansion of Hyderabad metro rail and the proposed Regional Ring Road (RRR) in Hyderabad in the agenda of the Union Cabinet.

Kishan Reddy, who has been a Union Minister since the last six years, should state what special development project he got sanctioned for Telangana, the Chief Minister said.

Earlier, addressing a meeting of Congress leaders, Reddy highlighted various development and welfare initiatives of his government and said the ruling Congress can claim 'Telangana model' as alternative for 'Gujarat model'.

"Congress party model is Telangana model... for caste census, for (SC) categorization, for unemployment... all other issues," he said.

Alleging that the BJP divided people on religious, castes and regional lines for the sake of power, he exhorted the party leaders and workers to keep up their effort to make Rahul Gandhi the country's next Prime Minister.