Bharat Rashtra Samiths (BRS) working president K. T. Rama Rao issued a strong rebuttal on Wednesday to the recent statements made by Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan. Speaking at the Hyderabad Press Club, KTR firmly stated that the people of Telangana do not need any lessons on patriotism or moral policing from Pawan Kalyan, emphasizing that struggles and sacrifices are deeply rooted in the history of the state. He reminded the actor-turned-politician that despite making up less than 3% of the nation’s population, Telangana proudly contributes 5% to India’s GDP.
KTR clarified that nobody is restricting Pawan Kalyan’s entry or activities in Telangana, noting that the Deputy CM and his family have safely resided and run businesses in Hyderabad for the last 12 years without any hindrance. However, responding directly to Pawan Kalyan’s provocative remark, “Telangana is not your father’s jagir (property),” KTR sharply countered that Telangana is absolutely the “jagir” of the sons of its soil who endured a grueling 60-year struggle for statehood. He added that while Pawan Kalyan is respected as an artist and an AP leader, any attempt to assert political dominance in Telangana would be rejected. He jokingly added that if Pawan visits as a brother, he will be welcomed with Hyderabadi biryani, but political high-handedness will not be tolerated.
The BRS leader also heavily criticized Pawan Kalyan’s comment that regionalism is more dangerous than terrorism, questioning how he would view Potti Sriramulu, who sacrificed his life fasting for a Telugu state. KTR went on to condemn Pawan Kalyan’s underlying stance on statehood, pointing out his contradictory remarks about not liking how the state was created. He reminded Pawan Kalyan that Telangana did not emerge overnight but was built on the sacrifices of thousands of martyrs, advising him to think before he speaks. He concluded by saying that while any citizen has the constitutional right to contest elections in any state—just as Jana Sena did in 2023—leaders must genuinely respect the local history and aspirations of the people.
