Hyderabad: With Telangana identity and bifurcation politics resurfacing in public discourse, transport minister Ponnam Prabhakar has appealed to Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu to act against coalition leaders making inflammatory or inappropriate remarks on bifurcation.In a letter to Naidu, Ponnam said fostering unnecessary animosity over the formation of Telangana serves no positive purpose for any side. He expressed concern over comments made by leaders of the BJP, Jana Sena and TDP, saying such remarks were inappropriate and harmful as they create needless tension and breed resentment among Telugu-speaking people. In the letter, Ponnam stressed that the division of the state was carried out in a lawful and constitutional manner, with approval from both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, followed by the President’s consent. He said the continuing controversial debate over bifurcation was counterproductive. He referred to recent remarks by Karnataka BJP MP Tejasvi Surya and Jana Sena leader Pawan Kalyan, saying they caused unrest and hurt sentiments in Telangana. He also traced the issue to earlier remarks by PM Modi on bifurcation, recalling the comment that “mother was sacrificed for the birth of child”. Ponnam urged Naidu to remind Modi of the BJP’s earlier resolution supporting the formation of two states. He also asked Naidu to press the Lok Sabha speaker to remove Tejasvi’s remarks from official records. Ponnam called for unity between Telugu people. “At the time of bifurcation we decided that we will remain as close brothers in the future, there is need to uplift that spirit,” he concluded.
