E-Paper
Telangana: BJP accepts T Raja Singh’s resignation
Raja Singh submitted his resignation on June 30, citing dissatisfaction over reported internal decisions regarding the BJP’s Telangana leadership.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday accepted the resignation of Telangana MLA T Raja Singh from the party’s primary membership, nearly 10 days after he announced his exit. In an official letter, BJP national general secretary Arun Singh informed the Goshamahal MLA that his resignation had been approved by party president JP Nadda.
However, the party distanced itself from Singh’s remarks criticising the appointment of N Ramchander Rao as the new Telangana BJP president.
“The contents mentioned by you are irrelevant and do not match the functioning, ideology and principles of the party,” the letter stated.
Raja Singh submitted his resignation on June 30, citing dissatisfaction over reported internal decisions regarding the BJP’s Telangana leadership. His resignation was soon followed by Rao’s appointment.
While quitting, Singh had spoken out against the new leadership. “This decision has come as a shock and disappointment, not just to me, but to lakhs of karyakartas (party workers), leaders, and voters who have stood by the party through every high and low,” Singh had said in his resignation letter, addressed to then state BJP president G Kishan Reddy.
Known for his firebrand image and controversial remarks, Raja Singh has often drawn criticism from across political lines. In April this year, two FIRs were lodged against him for allegedly using abusive language and issuing threats to police officials during a Ram Navami procession.
Meanwhile, the Congress too criticised the appointment of Rao, claiming that he had escaped accountability for his role in the death of PhD student Rohith Vemula. The Congress’ salvo comes at a time when their governments in Telangana and Karnataka have expressed interest in passing the Rohith Vemula Act against discrimination against students from marginalised communities in higher education institutions.
“Earlier, governments would punish those who indulged in atrocities against SC, ST, OBC and minority students. But the BJP in many cases has stood behind and rewarded those guilty of crimes against the marginalised communities. Look at the Rohith Vemula case – Dattatreya was made governor of Haryana, Sushil Kumar appointed an Assistant Professor in DU, and now Ramchander Rao has been appointed the BJP’s party president in Telangana!,” said Rajendra Gautam, the national president of the Congress’ Scheduled Caste Department.
Bandaru Dattatreya was the Lok Sabha MP from Secunderabad constituency and Union minister at the time of Vemula’s death in 2016. Susheel Kumar was the president of the university of Hyderabad’s ABVP unit, and N Ramachander Rao was the local MLC. After Vemula’s death, an FIR was filed against all three under the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for abetment of suicide. The three were accused of orchestrating Vemula’s expulsion from the Hyderabad University hostel and the cancellation of his stipend.
Apart from demanding justice for Vemula, who killed himself following the incidents, the Congress also emphasised the need for a legal and institutional framework to prevent future atrocities against students from SC and ST backgrounds.
“Rahul Gandhi has always advocated for the passage of the Rohith Vemula Act. In Telangana, chief minister Revanth Reddy has indicated his desire to bring about such an act. In Karnataka, our government has drafted the bill and will bring it to cabinet,” Gautam said.
