Telangana Governor says State govt humiliating her

Hyderabad: Hitting out at the TRS government again, Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundrarajan on Thursday alleged that most of the times the governor's office was being humiliated.

On completion of three years in office, she alleged that the State government was discriminating against a woman governor by not following the protocol.

She said she was even denied the opportunity to unfurl the national flag on the Republic Day or deliver her speech. She alleged that hurdles were being created in her efforts to reach out to the people. She also criticised Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao for not visiting Raj Bhavan despite her invitations.

"It will go down in the history of Telangana, how a woman governor was treated," she said.

Claiming that she wants to serve people of Telangana with pure heart and affection, she said she was facing hurdles in her efforts. "There is no personal motive in any of my activities. I am not a controversial person. I am a constructive person," she told reporters at Raj Bhavan.

On a question about the criticism by TRS leaders for displaying photos of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and not of Chief Minister KCR at Raj Bhavan, she wondered how he can ask for his photo to be put up without visiting Raj Bhavan.

"You are not coming because of the photo? Tomorrow, I will put photo, please come," she remarked.

When asked about Telangana government's allegation that the Centre was discriminating against the State, the governor remarked that good relationship solves problems. She found fault with the Chief Minister for not attending the South Zonal Council meeting held recently in Thiruvananthapuram.

She said she attended the meeting as Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry and 75 per cent of the problems on the agenda pertain to Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. She claimed that Union Home Minister Amit Shah was willing to discuss and address all the issues. "All the chief ministers were there but why the chief minister (KCR) was not there. What is the problem with you," she asked.

Stating that it was an open forum with all officials willing to discuss the agenda, she wondered why elected representatives were failing in their duties. She alleged that the State government denied her an opportunity to hoist the national flag at the Republic Day parade. She said she was told to hoist the flag in Raj Bhavan citing Covid-19 protocols. She wondered why this restriction was imposed only in Telangana when all the States held Republic Day parades.

She also claimed that when her office approached the State government for the speech, it was not provided. She defended delivering her own speech on the occasion. "You are not giving the speech means I should shut my mouth. Don't I have a right to talk? Should I read what they give on Republic Day," she asked. The governor also asked the chief minister what prevented him, his MLAs and MPs from coming to Raj Bhavan. "Is Raj Bhavan an untouchable place," she asked.

Tamilisai said she was targeted on social media when she was a politician and even now when she is holding the office of the governor, she is facing humiliation. "However, I am a strong person. Nobody can shatter my commitment towards the people," she said.

She recalled that when she wanted to visit Samakka Sarakka Jatra and sought a helicopter, the State government did not inform till the last minute, forcing her to leave by road. She said she had to travel by road for eight hours.

Tamilisai Soundararajan also targeted the TRS government for what she called changing its stand on September 17, which marks accession of Hyderabad State with Indian Union.

On the controversy over the Government of India celebrating it as 'Telangana Liberation Day' and the State government celebrating it as National Integration Day, she said she studied the State's history and argued that liberation is a correct word. "First, they accepted but now taking a different stand because of political reasons," she said.

There is no personal motive in any of my activities. I am not a controversial person. I am a constructive person

- Tamilisai Soundrarajan, Governor, Telangana