Hyderabad: Telugu Desam MPs have demanded that YSR Congress MP Vijaya Sai Reddy tender an unconditional apology to the people of Andhra Pradesh for hurting the self-respect of Telugu people by touching the feet of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
They said it is an insult to the state because people are agitating for special status, which the Modi government refused.
After a long break, the Prime Minister attended the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. As he entered, the BJP and other MPs stood up and greeted him with folded hands. Once he had taken his seat, Mr Vijaya Sai Reddy went up to him and touched his feet. Mr Modi blessed him by putting his hand on Mr Reddy’s head.
Telugu Desam MPs C.M. Ramesh, Y.S. Chowdary and others demanded that Mr Reddy apologise to the people of AP for hurting their self-respect.
However, Mr Reddy cou-ntered them by alleging that Mr Ramesh had earlier touched the feet of fina-nce minister Arun Jaitley after he and Mr Chowdh-ary held talks with the PM and FM in the House.
This episode has given the TD ammunition to use against its main rival YSRC. TD leaders alleged that the YSRC is playing a double game and is not sincere in seeking the special status for AP, even though it has given a notice for a no-confidence motion against the NDA government.
The TD leaders allege that Mr Reddy has compromised the states interests for the sake of having cases against him and his party leader Jaganmohan Reddy removed.
Mr Vijaya Sai Reddy, however, aimed his attack on AP Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu asking him to prove his innocence in the cash for vote case. He alleged that Mr Naidu got stay orders in 18 cases by “managing” the institutions.
