Hyderabad, June 7 (IANS) Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s remark that people from southern states do not want to live like second-class citizens has drawn sharp reaction from the BJP, which termed his statement as ‘unconstitutional’ and ‘anti-India’.

BJP national spokesperson Shehzad demanded that the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, spell out what action he would take against Revanth Reddy.

Shehzad said in a video statement that Revanth Reddy is behaving like Jinnah of modern times. “He wants India to be partitioned and broken up. This is the same party which did Bharat Jodo Yatra, and now it is doing Bharat Todo rhetoric. It shows they are Samvidhan Virodhi (anti-Constitution) and they are Bharat Vidrodhi (anti-India). They want tukde tukde of Bharat,” he said.

Alleging that Revanth Reddy is exhibiting Jinnah tendencies, the BJP spokesperson said the Telangana Chief Minister wants India divided. “Absolutely shocking statement from Revanth Reddy. He is saying that he will not salute the Constitutional office-bearers like the President and Prime Minister because they come from North India. By the way, the Prime Minister comes from Gujarat, which is in the west and President Murmu, the first tribal President of India, comes from east – Odisha, not from the north. But even then, he is saying that we feel like second-class citizens and we should separate from the north. This is the mindset of Congress,” he said.

The BJP leader said this was not the first time that Congress leaders have talked in this language. D. K. Shivkumar’s brother, D. K. Suresh, has also spoken this dangerous rhetoric.

“We have seen the language used by DMK against North Indians. This shows the Congress party believes in tukde tukde,” he said.

He alleged that Congress leaders want to divide India, sometimes on caste lines, religious lines and on north-south regional lines.

Pradeep Bhandari, another national spokesperson of the BJP, has said that Congress’s attempt to divide and rule will not work.

“Congress Chief Minister of Telangana Revanth Reddy says-” President comes from North India; all are from North India…” Not only is it an insult to the President of India, who represents the entire country, but it also exposes how evil Congress can be in its divisive agenda,” he posted on X.

“Facts: – Longest Serving Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman – Southern Part of India.. – Vice President of India CP Radhakrishnan- Southern Part of India. People of India have seen through “Urban Naxal’ Mindset of Congress & are aware equitable representation of every geography of Bharat is done by PM Narendra Modiji’s government,” he added.

The Chief Minister had made the remarks on Saturday during a conversation with ‘The Hindu’ Group Director N. Ram at ‘The Hindu Huddle’ in Bengaluru.

“Why Prime Minister of India from north India, President of India from north India. Because we don’t have the strength to show our political strength. So, we do not want to live like second-grade citizens in Delhi, paying taxes and saluting Delhi,” CM Revanth Reddy said.

The Chief Minister said southern States would not accept an imbalance in political power distribution.

The BJP, he alleged, was trying hard to widen this gap through the delimitation process, and linking it to women’s reservation to hide the core issue. “The Congress is ready even now for the implementation of the women’s reservation Bill if it is the primary intention,” he had said.

–IANS

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