TPCC chief Revanth Reddy stoops to nadir with parochialism

HYDERABAD: It’s heights of parochialism. A Revanth Reddy, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president and Member of Lok Sabha the highest law-making arm in India, has exposed his narrow mind by commenting on the postings of certain IPS officers, including the new DGP Anjani Kumar. It’s not about their competency or calibre, but it’s about their native states.

When Telangana State Government effected transfers of certain top IPS officers on Thursday, Revanth Reddy came up with a weird tweet.

In his bid to taunt Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, a crusader who, though spearheading a mass movement realised the aspiration of formation of a separate Telangana, the TPCC president remarked: “In Kalvakuntla Regime, even the name of ‘Telangana’ disappeared, yesterday in party, and today in administration.”

This comment was tantamount not only to drifting away from decency and democratic decorum, but also a complete departure from the oath he took by the Constitution in its letter and spirit. It’s indeed anti-constitutional, if not sedition.

The MP, who at the time of being sworn in the member of Parliament, took the oath saying he would “bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India as by law established, that I will uphold the sovereignty and integrity of India and that I will faithfully discharge the duty upon which I am about to enter.”

In fact, this is mandatory for all members, according to Articles 75(4), 99, 124(6), 148(2), 164(3), 188 and 219 of third schedule in the Constitution of India.

Revanth Reddy, in his remarks, ebbed to a nadir without factoring in the national role he’s bestowed upon by virtue of election to the highest House of People.

All-India Services officers owe their allegiance to the Constitution and they are recruited, trained, posted and groomed for the roles assigned always by order and in the name of the President of India or his official representative, the Governor of a State.

Questioning the domicile credentials of the officers, when they were found suitable by a popularly elected Government, is not only parochial, but even imbecile.

Revanth Reddy forgot that it was the party – the Congress – that he is currently a member of which had granted the State of Telangana, after a protracted battle by KCR. And, the Parliament adopted the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 only when a Congress Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was at the helm of affairs.

The missing link here, understandably, is the fact that Revanth Reddy was in the Telugu Desam Party at that time, demonstrating his lung power as a windbag and a motormouth. After all, it’s case of old habits (die hard).

Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), which fought for a separate State, never uttered a word against the national spirit and the epitomes of the same, the All-India Services officers and those serving in the defence forces. For that matter, the TRS always fought for the identity of Telangana and was against certain Andhra rulers, but not people of all walks of life.

If Anjani Kumar has become the DGP, Ravi Gupta the DG of ACB, Dr Jitender the Principal Secretary of Home, or Mahesh Bhagwat the Addl DG of CID, it’s by virtue of their experience and seniority, and not because they belonged to a particular State. Revanth Reddy missed this minute logic.

When M Mahender Reddy was made the DGP of the State, it’s not because he hailed from Telangana that he made it to the coveted top job. He became the Head of Police Force because he had the necessary qualifications to handle the position and the State Government had reposed confidence in his capabilities.

Revanth Reddy’s shallow remarks indeed are highly deplorable and unbecoming of his stature.