Congress legislator from Guntur East, Sk Mastan Vali, created a stir in the Assembly on Thursday by describing opposition legislators, who were disrupting the proceedings of the House, as anti-nationals.
Soon after the House was adjourned for the day, leaders of pro-Telangana parties sought an unconditional apology from Mastan Vali for calling them anti-national.
Talking to reporters at the Media Point on the Assembly premises later, TRS floor leader Etela Rajender, CPI leader G Mallesh and Telangana Nagara Samithi leader Nagam Janardhan Reddy demanded that Mastan Vali withdraw his remarks and tender an unconditional apology to the people of Telangana.
They said Telangana legislators had been demanding statehood for their region on behalf of about 4.5 crore population of the region, who were demanding a separate state. It was therefore unethical to call Telangana MLAs anti-nationals.
The three Telangana leaders further alleged that Congress leaders, who were looting public money by resorting to large-scale corruption, were the real anti-nationals and betrayers of the country.
They warned that if Mastan Vali did not withdraw his remarks, they would lay siege to the legislator’s house and teach him a fitting lesson.
They also made it clear that they would not allow the House to transact its business until the government came forward to introduce a resolution in favour of statehood for Telangana.
Government chief whip Gandra Venkata Ramana Reddy said Mastan Vali’s remarks were not aimed at the pro-Telangana parties.