Join hands to defeat divisive forces, says Harish Rao

When the people of Telangana were almost losing hope in the creation of a separate State, he has said Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao waged a 14-year battle leading from the front.

Siddipet: Finance Minister T Harish Rao has called upon the people to put in a collective effort to defeat the divisive forces drawing spirit from National Integration Day.

Addressing the gathering after unfurling the national flag on the eve of National Integration Day in Siddipet on Sunday, the Finance Minister has appealed to the people to join hands to keep the nation integrated.

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Recalling the sacrifices of the freedom fighters who participated in Telangana’s integration with India, Rao has said that Telangana was in surplus budget between September 17, 1948, to November 1, 1956, when Telangana was merged with Andhra. However, Rao has said that Andhra leaders had done a great injustice to Telangana in all aspects during the 58 years they had stayed together.

The Minister has said that Telangana people never really mingled with Andhra people. Since the Andhra leaders ill-treated the Telangana language, and people by denying them equal funds and share in resources, he has said that the movement for the creation of a separate State was launched exactly a decade after the merger of both States.

However, Rao has said that the then Congress-headed government at the Centre had denied the demand for the creation of a separate Telangana.

When the people of Telangana were almost losing hope in the creation of a separate State, he has said Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao waged a 14-year battle leading from the front. Rao has said that Chandrashekhar Rao had put the State on one path until the Telangana formation was completed on June 2, 2014.

The Minister has said the Chief Minister has made the State a model in development and welfare for the rest of the nation within 9 years.

The Minister has said that Siddipet was transformed into a model town during the same period. Zilla Parishad Chairperson V Roja Sharma, Collector Prashanth Jeevan Patil, Commissioner of Police N Swetha and others were present.