AP decries remarks made by Pradhan over Kotia villages

Visakhapatnam: The reported remarks passed by Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan against Andhra Pradesh police has evoked strong condemnation from AP Deputy Chief Minister (Tribal Welfare) Peedika Rajanna Dora.

Pradhan, a BJP leader from Odisha, was agitated on seeing an Andhra policeman in mufti recording his speech when he was addressing a meeting of tribals at the disputed Kotia Group of Villages in Kotia gram panchayat. He visited the area to spend Odisha Formation Day celebrations with the tribals on Saturday.

The villages located on Andhra-Odisha border have been claimed by both the States since their formation. While Odisha became a State in 1936, AP was formed on linguistic basis in 1956.

Taking strong exception to reported remarks by Pradhan at the meeting asking Andhra Police to go back, Rajanna Dora said the Central Minister should not have incited regional feelings leading to tension in the border areas. He said the Supreme Court had already ordered status quo following jurisdictional claims by both the States.

On the other hand, CPI national secretary K Narayana demanded dismissal of Pradhan for trying to provoke parochial feelings at a time when the people of both the States are living in harmony. Various tribal organisations in AP have strongly opposed the remarks made by Pradhan whereas the BJP leaders of Odisha supported Pradhan’s directive to the State Government officials to remove Andhra signposts in the Kotia gram panchayat.