Jana Sena Party chief and Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan launched a sharp attack on Congress leaders in Telangana amid a growing controversy over his proposed public engagement in Hyderabad, accusing some of them of behaving like "separatists" and questioning their opposition to his presence in the state.
The political row erupted after Telangana Police denied permission for the Telangana Nava Nirman Sabha planned by Jana Sena in Hyderabad. The party subsequently moved the Telangana High Court seeking urgent relief, but the court declined to entertain the plea. Following the setback, Pawan Kalyan announced that he would instead address the media from his residence in Jubilee Hills.
Responding to criticism from Congress MLC Addanki Dayakar, who questioned the need for the press conference and opposed granting permission for it, Pawan Kalyan said, "A few leaders are saying how I will enter Hyderabad. Is Telangana your father's place? Who are you to threaten me?"
The Jana Sena chief also called on Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi to respond, alleging that some Congress members were adopting divisive politics. "You are a national party. A few Congress leaders are behaving like separatists," he said, arguing that people from different states live and work across India without discrimination.
Pawan Kalyan stressed that his association with Telangana was based on affection rather than electoral considerations. Extending greetings on Telangana Formation Day, he said he had long supported Telangana's culture and identity and had toured various parts of the state, including remote tribal and Naxal-affected regions, well before many of his current critics entered politics.
