Do not try to divide nation: Kiren Rijiju slams Telangana CM Reddy over ‘Hitler’ analogy

New Delhi: Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Sunday criticised Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy over remarks linking the name of the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) to Adolf Hitler, accusing him of using divisive rhetoric and attempting to deepen regional fault lines in the country.

In a post on X, Rijiju said such statements were inappropriate in a representative democracy and warned against narratives that promote a North-South divide. He argued that India’s leadership reflects the nation’s diversity, citing the President from Odisha, the Prime Minister from Gujarat, and the Vice President from Tamil Nadu as examples of national unity.

“Do not try to divide the nation. We are all Indians,” Rijiju said, adding that if a BJP leader had made similar remarks, critics would have accused the party of promoting fascism or Nazism.

The controversy erupted after Revanth Reddy, speaking at a media conclave in Bengaluru, claimed he drew “inspiration from Adolf Hitler” while naming HYDRAA, the Telangana government’s anti-encroachment agency established in 2024. Referring to the task force’s role in removing illegal encroachments on water bodies and government land, Reddy said the name was inspired by what he described as Hitler’s fondness for the term “HYDRA.”

The comments triggered sharp reactions from the BJP. Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy described the remarks as evidence of a “dangerous Hitler, Emergency mindset” and demanded an unconditional apology from the Congress leader. He accused the Congress of having a history of authoritarian tendencies, drawing parallels between the Emergency era and the present controversy.

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla also condemned the statement, alleging it reflected a broader pattern of “tanashahi” (authoritarianism). He linked the remarks to recent actions by the Telangana government against journalists and students. The row has intensified political tensions, with the BJP targeting the Congress over the Telangana chief minister’s comments and demanding clarification and an apology. (ANI)

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