Ponnam flays Ganta, Kavuri for their stance on Bayyaram

Karimnagar: MP Ponnam Prabhakar lashed out at Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao, Eluru MP Kavuri Sambasiva Rao, Parakala Prabhakar and other Seemandhra leaders for their stance on Bayyaram mines and on other issues. It may be noted that Ganta Srinivasa Rao objected to the protests by various leaders of Telangana region for the allocation of iron ore from Bayyaram mines to VSP. ``If Telangana leaders oppose the iron ore allocation, then natural gas needed for power projects in Telangana region would not be supplied from Andhra region,'' he reportedly had stated. Addressing a press conference in the town on Wednesday, the Karimnagar MP condemned the reported statement of the Minister Srinivasa Rao. ``The Minister is behaving cheaply like small time politician. He has to hold his tongue, or else, he would face the wrath of the people of Telangana region,'' Ponnam warned. Mr. Prabhakar also refuted the claim of MP Kavuri Sambasiva Rao that agriculture was not known to the people of Telangana and Andhra people had taught agriculture to the farmers of Telangana. He (Ponnam) sarcastically said that they had even taught children to drink milk from their mothers and to run families in Telangana. He took strong objection to the statements of both the leaders on Bayyaram mines. Referring to the recent `Book release' function at Basheer Bagh Press Club in Hyderabad by Parakala Prabhakar, the Congress MP said that Mr. Parakala Prabkahar was unable to set right his own family. Then, writing a book on Telangana is ridiculous, he said. The MP also flayed varied statements by Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and PCC chief Botcha Satyanarayana on Bayyaram mines. The Chief Minister has the responsibility to ask the Seemandhra leaders not to make irresponsible statements on sensitive issues. ``If the quality of iron ore in Bayyaram mines is inferior, then why should it be allocated to VSP. If the natural resources are the nation's property, then the people of Telangana region also have the right to make use of their natural assets'', the MP argued. The Chief Minister has to plan a steel plant in Telangana so that the local people would benefit, he demanded. ``When Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy visits Karimnagar on April 27, I would raise Bayyaram mines issue, and demand establishment of a steel plant on Khammam- Warangal border,'' he asserted.