Telangana’s voice in Delhi has gone silent

Our MPs from both Congress and BJP seem more interested in protecting each other. Time for the people of Telangana to reflect

By Nayini Anurag Reddy

The events of the past few weeks, both in Hyderabad and in Delhi, have left us shaken. For the first time since statehood, I find myself asking, has Telangana become an orphan again?

---

We sent 17 MPs to the Lok Sabha — eight from Congress and an equal number from the BJP. In return, what have we got? Silence. Indifference. Not one of them has stood up in Delhi to fight for our rights, our resources, or our future.

When Delhi Turns a Blind Eye to Telangana’s Water

Andhra Pradesh, emboldened by the BJP-led Centre, is pushing its Banakacherla project, a blatant attempt to steal Godavari and Krishna waters that rightfully belong to Telangana. Have you seen a single Congress MP from our state raise their voice against it? Have they even tried to stop it? Instead, we are fed lies, “AP is not building anything”, while our share of the rivers is quietly siphoned away.

Demolitions for Corporates, Silence for the Poor

Here in Hyderabad, the Congress government is moving ahead with demolitions under the guise of a “Musi project”, clearing poor families from their homes, only to hand over prime land to corporate interests.

And what of the BJP MPs? They sit in Delhi in a position to question, to challenge, to demand answers. But have they stood up even once for these displaced families? Not a word.

Forgotten Cry of the Farmer

The State’s farmers are in crisis. Crops have withered under the Congress government’s failed policies. Whatever harvest was possible had to be sold to middlemen at a loss because the government wouldn’t procure it.

Today, there’s no water, and loan waivers remain empty promises. Rythu Bandhu payments have been quietly held back. Farmers queue for urea from dawn till midnight. Some, crushed under debt and despair, have taken their own lives.

And still, not a single BJP leader has asked, “Why this injustice?” Not one has confronted the Congress government on the floor of Parliament.

Billions for Others, Pennies for Telangana

The Centre has no hesitation in clearing thousands of crores for Andhra’s metro or Lucknow’s metro expansion. But for Hyderabad’s metro extension? Not a single rupee.

Semiconductor plants are announced for Andhra, Odisha, and Punjab. Telangana doesn’t get a mention. No new industrial corridor. No new national project. Our own MPs-turned-Central ministers prefer to celebrate what neighbouring States get, rather than fight for what Telangana is denied.

When Atrocities Go Unchallenged

Even when tragedy strikes close to home, their silence is deafening. In the Chief Minister’s own constituency, tribal Lambada girls faced police brutality in Lagacherla. Young men and elderly villagers were subjected to third-degree torture. Did the BJP MPs rush to demand justice? Did they stand with the victims?

Deaths in Gurukul Schools, No Outrage in Parliament

Children in Telangana’s Gurukuls have died from snakebites and food poisoning. The cries of grieving parents have gone unheard. The Congress government’s rash decisions have left auto drivers without work, their families in distress. Have our BJP MPs shown compassion? Have they taken the fight to Delhi? No.

20 Months of Loss

In just over a year, Telangana has lost wealth, projects, and opportunity. And for what? Two national parties, each with eight MPs from our State, yet not one effective voice for Telangana in Parliament.

Look back. When BRS MPs held these seats, they fought in Delhi without compromise, for our rights, for our funds. The record is there for all to see. Today, the difference is glaring.

The Real Question

Who did we vote for, leaders to represent Telangana, or leaders to represent other States? Because right now, our MPs from both the Congress and the BJP seem more interested in protecting each other than in protecting our future.

Telangana’s voice in Delhi has gone silent. And when a State loses its voice, it loses its power. Time to think, time to decide. It’s time for the people of Telangana to reflect. Where did we go wrong? What did these two parties give us in return for our trust? Who defended Telangana’s rights for a decade? And who has now mortgaged them to other States?

If you think one vote doesn’t matter, look at how much we’ve lost. Look at how badly we’ve been cheated. For decades under united Andhra rule, we were robbed. Now, even after achieving our own State, are we letting ourselves be ruled by outsiders again?

Telangana’s future, and our children’s future, is at stake. Are we going to watch it be sold away? Or are we going to make sure our voice is heard, loud and unshakable, in the heart of Delhi?

(The author is an MBA graduate, entrepreneur, and policy enthusiast working to highlight governance gaps & public grievances)