New Delhi: Telangana Minister Konda Surekha and Chief Minister Revanth Reddy have triggered a political storm with statements that have been widely condemned as casteist, undignified, and unbecoming of those holding public office.
Speaking at a Congress-led protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on June 6, Minister Konda Surekha made a shocking allegation against President Droupadi Murmu, claiming she was excluded from key national events due to her caste and personal circumstances.
“PM Modi didn’t invite her to the inauguration of the new Parliament building or the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya because of her caste and being widow,” Surekha said.
“This proves how deeply casteism runs in BJP’s leadership,” she added.
మరోసారి వివాదాస్పద వ్యాఖ్యలు చేసిన మంత్రి కొండా సురేఖ
రాష్ట్రపతి వితంతువు అని పార్లమెంట్ భవనం ప్రారంభోత్సవానికి ఆమెను పిలవలేదు… అయోధ్యకు కూడా ఆమెను పిలవలేదు ఎందుకంటే ఆమె ఒక SC కాబట్టి – మంత్రి #KondaSurekha pic.twitter.com/9Pn4qTnk5V
— greatandhra (@greatandhranews) August 6, 2025
Her remarks targeting the President of India have drawn flak from critics who accused the Congress of demeaning the dignity of the constitutional office and exploiting identity for political mileage.
On the same stage, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy made an even more controversial comment that has raised serious questions about political tolerance under Congress rule.
He declared: “Whoever it is, whether rich or in any position, if he comes against Rahul Gandhi’s command or rule, Telangana is going to write his death order.”
Delhi: Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy says, "Whoever it is, whether rich or in any position, if he comes against Rahul Gandhi's command or rule, Telangana is going to write his death order. We have come here to Jantar Mantar to spread Rahul's message across the… pic.twitter.com/eadLxFOmfc
— ANI (@ANI) August 6, 2025
The combination of caste-based accusations and threatening political language by Congress leaders has sparked outrage, with observers calling it a new low in political discourse.
The protest was organised by Telangana Congress leaders to demand 42% reservation for OBCs in education, employment, and political representation.
Senior leaders including DMK MP Kanimozhi, reiterated the demand to lift the 50% cap on reservations, citing Tamil Nadu’s model of 69% as justification.
The event projected Telangana’s caste census as a “national model”, crediting it to Rahul Gandhi’s commitment.
The battlelines for social justice have been firmly drawn in Indian politics at Jantar Mantar today, with leaders of all major #INDIA alliance partners firmly standing up for ending the 50% cap on reservations, and for providing 42% quota for OBCs in political power through… pic.twitter.com/woGBqT5sC2
— Revanth Reddy (@revanth_anumula) August 6, 2025
Telangana Deputy CM Bhatti Vikramarka, and TPCC Chief Mahesh Kumar Goud, AICC incharge Meenakshi Natarajan, several ministers and over 70 MPs, 50 MLAs, and number of Congress leaders from across India participated in the protest.
Reacting to the Congress dharna in Delhi:
G. Kishan Reddy, Union Minister for Coal and Mines, responded on X, stating:
“In the guise of a hushed-up and selective survey, the Congress’s nefarious plan is to snatch the reservation from the marginalised sections to peddle their religion-based reservation to cater to their vote bank politics.”
𝐅𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐧 & 𝐂𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐭 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 ?
Congress’s deep rooted dislike for marginalised sections goes back to 1955 when the Nehru-led Congress rejected the Kaka Kalelkar Commission's recommendation for providing reservations to backward classes. The fake concern of… https://t.co/tYhJuyFwSP
— G Kishan Reddy (@kishanreddybjp) August 6, 2025
Bandi Sanjay, Union Minister of State, also criticised Congress leaders on X, saying:
Was it a protest at Jantar Mantar or Congress’s Friendship Day Reunion? Only thing missing was a cake-cutting ceremony.
Congress’ Porubata for BC reservations looked more like a Porapatubata. Let’s call it what it really was – a flop show. No conviction, no credibility, and…
— Bandi Sanjay Kumar (@bandisanjay_bjp) August 6, 2025
“This protest isn’t about BCs. It’s a cover-up for Congress’ real agenda – to push 100% reservation for Muslims under the BC quota.”
