Hyderabad: Union minister G Kishan Reddy, speaking at a press meet in Delhi on Friday, April 17, said BJP MP Tejasvi Surya “had admitted his remarks on Telangana were wrong,” adding that he shared the same view, even as protests broke out in Telangana and political reactions intensified over the controversy.
“He (Tejasvi Surya) admitted his remarks were wrong and so do I,” he said, speaking at a press meet in Delhi on Friday, April 17.
The statement marks a shift from his position a day earlier in Parliament, where he had said that Surya’s comments were “not intended to lessen or denigrate the people of Telangana or its statehood movement.”
The video of the shift in Kishan Reddy’s stand went viral online.
Remarks in Lok Sabha
The controversy began after Tejasvi Surya, speaking in the Lok Sabha on April 16 during a discussion on the Delimitation Bill, 2026, criticised the Congress over the bifurcation of undivided Andhra Pradesh.
Opposing a “hybrid model” for delimitation proposed by Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy, Surya argued that it violated the principle of “one person, one vote, one value.”
During his speech, he stated that the division of Andhra Pradesh and the formation of Telangana had been carried out “in a worse fashion than the British did during the partition of India and Pakistan,” which drew criticism from several quarters.
Tejasvi Surya’s ‘admission’
BJP MP Tejasvi Surya said his remarks in the Lok Sabha had been misrepresented and were aimed at criticising the Congress’ handling of the Telangana movement and Andhra Pradesh bifurcation.
He reiterated his respect for Telangana martyrs and said his comments were meant to highlight what he described as mismanagement and lack of transparency in the process.
He also thanked Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy for supporting his position, and said his remarks were intended to reflect on historical events rather than hurt public sentiment.
Congress, BRS object
The remarks drew criticism from leaders of both the Congress and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) in Telangana.
A delegation of Congress MPs met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, seeking expunction of the comments from parliamentary records.
Telangana Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said the remarks undermined the democratic and constitutional process through which Telangana was formed and sought their removal.
From the BRS, working president KT Rama Rao (KTR) and other leaders including T Harish Rao, K Kavitha, and Dasoju Sravan also objected and called for an apology.
BRS leaders Srinivas Goud and Madhusudhana Chary said they would file a complaint at the Parliament Street Police Station in New Delhi.
The Telangana Youth Congress also demanded an unconditional apology and removal of the remarks from parliamentary records.
Congress misrepresenting Surya’s remarks: Bandi Sanjay
Responding to the criticism, Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar said Congress leaders were misrepresenting Tejasvi Surya’s remarks.
He stated that Surya’s comments referred to the handling of the State’s bifurcation by the Congress and alleged that several youths had died by suicide during that period.
He also said the Congress had initially supported the formation of Telangana in 2009 but later reversed its position.
Bandi Sanjay Kumar criticised chief minister A Revanth Reddy, alleging that he had opposed the Telangana movement in the past, and referred to earlier statements made by him regarding Congress leadership, specifially Sonia Gandhi.
He further said that the BJP had supported the formation of Telangana and reiterated the party’s position on issues such as women’s reservation, while also questioning why the Congress government in the State was not addressing allegations related to BRS.
Protests in Hyderabad
Amid the political row, protests were held in Hyderabad by the student wing of the BRS.
Members of BRSV staged a protest at the BJP office in Nampally, alleging that Surya’s remarks insulted the sacrifices of those associated with the Telangana movement.
The protesters demanded an apology and warned of further agitation. An effigy of Tejasvi Surya was burned during the protest.
Tensions briefly escalated as BRSV members and activists from the BJP’s youth wing confronted each other, leading to a scuffle. Police intervened and detained several BRSV protesters.
