Telangana Liberation Day programme at Parade Grounds: Congress, Centre lock horns over getting Defence Ministry permission

Hyderabad: It seems the Congress party and the Union government have locked horns over getting permission to hold the Telangana Liberation/ Integration Day programmes at Parade Grounds owned by the Defence ministry on September 17.

Telangana PCC president A Revanth Reddy said the party has sent a letter to the Defence ministry requesting for permission to hold a public meeting to be attended by all top party national leaders on the Liberation Day.

He alleged that Union Minister for Tourism and Culture G Kishan Reddy was obstructing the Defence ministry from giving its nod to hold the public meeting. Reddy was planning to hold an official programme on behalf of the Union government on the same day at the ground.

The BJP already announced holding a public meeting in Warangal to commemorate the Telangana martyrs on the Liberation Day. The TPCC head said Reddy was deliberately planning to hold another programme at Parade Grounds to block the Congress from holding the celebrations in the public meeting.

Revanth said the TPCC had forwarded a letter to the Defence ministry on September 2. ‘The BJP conspiracy to create hurdles in the conduct of public meeting has been exposed as Reddy is making all-out efforts to influence the ministry. Anticipating the BJP moves, the Congress requested the State government to give permission to hold the meeting at LB Stadium in case the Defence ministry turns down its plea.