Hyderabad: The Telangana state assembly on Monday passed a bill by voice vote to amend the Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University Act, 1985, following which the university will be renamed after Telangana freedom fighter Suravaram Pratapa Reddy.
However, the discussion to rename the university saw the Congress, BJP, AIMIM, and CPI members locking horns, with each making their own demands. The BJP demanded that the Congress govt rename Osmania University after Suravaram Pratapa Reddy, and not the Telugu University, which immediately attracted a backlash from Congress members who said the BJP always indulges in religion-based politics and it only exposes their attitude towards Muslims.
AIMIM MLA Ahmed Bin Balala found fault with the BJP for its demand to rename Osmania University. The Nizam served as the first Rajpramukh of Hyderabad State between 1950 and 1956, after which the state was partitioned and became part of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra. “Mir Osman Ali Khan established several prestigious institutions and contributed so much to the state. Why is his name not being given to any institutions? The BJP has only exposed itself by making such a demand,” he said.
CPI member Kunamneni Sambasiva Rao urged all the parties not to politicise the issue and explained the contribution of Suravaram Pratapa Reddy in Telangana’s armed struggle against the Nizams, and to elevate the image of the state.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy explained to the house that renaming was not intended to show any disrespect to Potti Sreeramulu. Without taking the name of union minister Bandi Sanjay, who recently attributed motives to the Congress govt’s move, the CM said he is not able to understand whether politics became tainted or the thoughts of leaders became polluted.
“No one is underrating or undermining the efforts and contribution of Potti Sriramulu. Everyone remembers and honours his sacrifice. The BJP renamed Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium after Narendra Modi in Gujarat. This renaming of institutions has been going on since the bifurcation of the state. There are now attempts to create misconceptions. It is unfortunate that even central ministers are indulging in such acts,” he said.
If the BJP is so particular about Potti Sreeramulu, let union ministers G Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay prevail upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi to rename Cherlapally railway terminal after Potti Sriramulu, he said.
The CM listed out the institutions renamed after the formation of Telangana state, including NTR Health University after Kaloji Narayana Rao, Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University after Professor K Jayashankar, YSR Horticulture University after Konda Laxman Bapuji, and Venkateswara Veterinary University after PV Narasimha Rao.
“It does not mean we are showing disrespect to NTR and other great personalities whose names have been replaced with the greats from Telangana. We have great respect for all the great leaders from both the states. But for administrative convenience and to avoid confusion of the same name of institutions in two different states, the names of Telangana greats are being given to the institutions, done by the previous govt too in the past,” Revanth said.
The CM took a jibe at those in responsible positions for attributing caste-based motives to the decisions taken by the state govt for broader purposes. “It is wrong to divide people on the basis of caste and religion for political mileage,” he said.
CM Revanth also announced that the nature cure hospital at Balkampet will be renamed after former chief minister K Rosaiah, in undivided Andhra Pradesh, and that a statue of him would also be installed in the hospital premises.