Considering South as separate country 'highly objectionable': Shah counters KTR
May 17, 2024
New Delhi [India], May 17 : Reacting strongly to Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader KT Rama Rao's remarks on the North-South divide, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said considering the South as a separate country was 'highly objectionable.'
In an interview with ANI, Shah said, "This country can never be divided again. A senior Congress leader had said that divide North India and South India, and Congress did not distance itself from this statement. The people of the country should think about the agenda of Congress."
"If someone says that the South is a separate country then it is highly objectionable," Shah said.
Asserting that the BJP will perform better in South India in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, the Home Minister said, "The BJP is going to become the largest party in five southern states - Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka."
Speaking to ANI last week, BRS leader KT Rama Rao said 'North India is a different country altogether.'
"It is a different country altogether. It is a different world. I am not saying it literally but it is practically a different country. I think the issues that are centred here are different than the issues in the South. People here think differently," KTR had said. "That's why the BJP is not able to deepen its footprints in the South," he added.
Speaking on the per capita income, the BRS leader claimed that Telangana is at Rs 357, which is the highest compared to some other states in Northern India.
"We are at 357 in Telangana, Bihar is at 57 and UP is at 87 or something. It's a fact that it's a different country. It's the fault of the governments that they are not able to provide good administration. Their priorities were all in the wrong place. They seem to be content with keeping their people backwards and just getting votes by playing on emotions. That's not the case in the South. We, here focus on big and real issues," KTR said.
Drawing a comparison of progress and development for the southern states, he said, "Look at Telangana, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. The infrastructure, the education and literacy levels, and healthcare parameters. Look at any index. We are far ahead of any other state, especially in the Hindi hinterland."
