An immediate intervention and dignified acceptance of mistake by Telugu Desam Party Telangana president L. Ramana saved his party from landing in controversy during its Telangana Mahandu here at Exhibition Grounds on Thursday.
Cultural troupes of the party left everyone stunned when they made derogatory remarks against Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhara Rao as Mahanadu progressed. Singing songs in Telangana ‘janapada’ style heavily loaded with criticism against KCR’s policies, the singers suddenly went overboard over his promise of making a Dalit as Chief Minister.
“You said a Dalit would be made CM .... to which Dalit were you born,” the singers sang. Even as many at the meeting raised an eyebrow, they continued the song. Within a minute, Mr. Ramana — who was on the dais — rose, picked up the mike and asked them to “stop it”.
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“We are political rivals but have nothing personal against anyone. This is not correct and apologise for this,” he told the gathering. In fact, the cultural troupes appeared to be crossing line even before the meeting when they referred to the CM as broker and people would stone him for his policies.
One of the speakers even said KCR’s government was suppressing voices of others “like Razakars”. Another moving resolution on jobs in the State, KCR was recruiting more police personnel apparently to rule like “Razakars”.