The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : ‘Goud should express regrets for remarks’

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Nov 16, 2007
ePaper

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

‘Goud should express regrets for remarks’

TDP leader rules out possibility of withdrawing his remarks

HYDERABAD: Six Ministers on Thursday demanded that Telugu Desam Party deputy floor leader T. Devender Goud unconditionally withdraw the ‘highly objectionable’ remarks he made against Speaker K.R. Suresh Reddy.

Accusing the TDP leader of casting aspersions on the Chair, Agriculture Minister N. Raghuveera Reddy and five other Ministers said the remarks had not only caused agony to the Speaker, but showed the Chair in poor light. Such actions only reflected the frustration among the TDP leaders.

Goud’s reaction

Meanwhile, at a press conference, Mr. Goud ruled out the possibility of withdrawing his remarks, saying he had only tried to bring out an issue agitating the minds of a large section of people. “I have said what I wanted to and let it be debated among the people and let them decide who is right and who is wrong.

I feel I have done no wrong so there is no question of expressing regrets.”

He claimed that he could cite several examples where the Government had shown its casteist tendencies. Preference for an upper caste academician to a more meritorious Backward Class one for appointment as Vice-Chancellor of a university named after Dr. B. R. Ambedkar is just one case, he said.

Mr. Raghvueera Reddy said Mr. Goud’s outburst showed that he was feeling uncomfortable in the TDP.

“He is feeling neglected by party president N. Chandrababu Naidu, who was giving preference to another Telangana leader Nagam Janardhan Reddy,” he charged.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail