Telangana Rakshana Sena (TRS) president K. Kavitha on Sunday alleged that the aspirations of Telangana activists remain unfulfilled under the present Congress government despite the state having been achieved through the sacrifices of countless martyrs. Speaking at a round-table conference on “The Aspirations and Achievements of Telangana Activists,” Kavitha said Telangana was formed on the foundation of the sacrifices made by those who laid down their lives for statehood and expressed disappointment that justice had still not been delivered to many martyr families.
Paying tributes to the martyrs at the beginning of the event, she said Telangana had lost numerous sons and daughters over the past six to seven decades and that their sacrifices ultimately led to the formation of the state. However, she said it was unfortunate that the families of those martyrs were yet to receive the recognition and support they deserved.
Recalling the Telangana statehood movement, Kavitha said programmes such as the Sakala Janula Samme and Vanta-Varpu were conducted in a disciplined manner without causing inconvenience to the public. She noted that commercial and social ties between people of different regions remained intact during the agitation and that the movement’s criticism was directed only at political leaders. However, she alleged that the current political environment in Telangana was witnessing attempts to undermine the state’s identity. She accused Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy of acting as an “agent of Andhra political leaders” and claimed that efforts were being made to reinstall statues of Andhra leaders and weaken Telangana’s identity.
Referring to remarks allegedly made during the Mahanaadu event, Kavitha criticized leaders who questioned the historical and cultural identity of Telangana. She asserted that no one had the right to insult a state that was formed through a constitutional and democratic process.
Launching a strong attack on the ruling Telugu Desam Party–Jana Sena alliance government in Andhra Pradesh, Kavitha said that even after nearly 13 years since bifurcation, Andhra leaders had failed to establish a fully functional capital and were resorting to diversionary politics. She criticized the decision to secure a resolution on Amaravati in Parliament rather than in the State Assembly and claimed that former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had politically cornered the alliance through the “Mavigan” issue.
Taking aim at Andhra Pradesh leaders, including Pawan Kalyan and Nara Lokesh, Kavitha said they should focus on addressing governance challenges in their own state before holding public meetings in Telangana. She questioned why the Andhra Pradesh Secretariat continued to face flooding during the monsoon season and why residents from districts such as Nellore, Anantapur and Vijayawada still had to travel to Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad for better healthcare facilities.
Kavitha asserted that Telangana was not an extension of any political empire and reminded Andhra-based parties that voters in Telangana had repeatedly rejected them. At the same time, she emphasized that Telangana had always welcomed businesses, film shootings and investments from Andhra Pradesh and treated Andhra-origin residents living in the state with respect. However, she warned that interference in Telangana’s water resources and political affairs would not be tolerated.
In a controversial remark, Kavitha said that if her party returned to power, statues of Andhra leaders installed in Telangana would be removed and sent back to Andhra Pradesh. She also warned that “TRS 2.0” would strongly resist any attempts to undermine Telangana’s interests and said the movement that had once achieved statehood was capable of defending the state’s rights again.
Targeting Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, she alleged that he had betrayed Telangana’s interests by supporting the proposed Godavari-Cauvery Link Project. She further accused the government of using Andhra Pradesh police personnel to counter intellectuals and activists, including Professor Nageshwar and Yadagiri, whenever they raised questions about public issues.
Kavitha also criticized the Congress government for allegedly delaying justice to Telangana activists despite being in power for more than two-and-a-half years. She claimed that the government was using committees such as the KK and PK panels to prolong the process rather than address activists’ concerns. According to her, offering positions to a few individuals, including M. Kodandaram, was not sufficient to fulfill the promises made during the Telangana movement.
Demanding action from the government, Kavitha urged the Chief Minister to announce the implementation of all pending promises made to Telangana activists during the Telangana Formation Day celebrations. She said her party was established to protect Telangana’s rights and would move forward with its five-point policy framework, “Panchajanyam.”
Outlining the party’s priorities, Kavitha said the agenda includes supporting farmers, creating employment opportunities for youth, providing loans ranging from ₹2 lakh to ₹20 crore to encourage entrepreneurship, and building a socially inclusive Telangana. She also appealed to activists, intellectuals and civil society members to contribute ideas and suggestions on shaping the future of the state.