Without mincing words, Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy on Thursday put the Congress high command on notice that he will take a tough decision at the right time and situation to meet the political crisis in the State.
He declared that he would not hesitate to take such a decision in the best interests of Telugu-speaking people. “There will be no question of going back on the decision in deference to the wishes and expectations of the Telugus at an appropriate time and occasion” he said at a meeting to mark the 150 anniversary of Telugu litterateur Gidugu Ramamurthy Pantulu. Describing the present crisis as sensitive and one that had been dogging the State for the past ten years, Mr. Reddy said: “I will definitely take the necessary decision by respecting the sentiments of the Telugu people, keeping in mind the need for their development in future.”
Taking indirect pot-shots at his party, the Chief Minister said the party in power and the government were not different from one another since they had the same mandate of working for the welfare of people. Party interests were indeed important but these should not be above the welfare of the people, he said significantly.
In a democracy, it was ultimately the people who mattered, though it was the party with the biggest majority that formed the government and took decisions. If the decisions were not right, people would not spare them. Several parties had been punished in the past for taking the wrong decisions.
“This is the greatness of democracy which parties or governments should recognise.” Mr. Reddy sought the blessings of “Telugu talli” to give him courage to take a bold decision at this critical time. Some inconvenience was inevitable when such decisions were taken but one must not lose his temper or patience, he said.
He appealed to people resorting to agitations and strikes to work within the framework of law. The political crisis had derailed the carefully planned development of the State.
In a reference to the Telugu language and culture, Mr. Reddy said it was unfortunate that Telugu-speaking people had to be reminded about their greatness repeatedly.
The fourth World Telugu Conference was held at Tirupati in the midst of political crisis and adverse natural conditions. Yet, the conference was a thumping success with the participation of lakhs of people.
Chairman of the official language commission Mandali Buddha Prasad presided over the meeting.
