Airport naming rocks Assembly

• Cong, TRS object to naming of domestic terminal after NTR
• T TDP wants both terminals named after Telangana icons
• House passes resolution for revocation of Centre’s decision
• Says Centre should have consulted the State govt on the issue
• Ashok Gajapathi Raju reminds the decision was taken in 1999

Hyderabad: Stung by the “unilateral” decision of the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation to give the name of N T Rama Rao to the domestic terminal at Shamshabad airport, the Telangana State Assembly passed a resolution on Friday urging the centre to maintain status quo and reconsider its decision.

The issue rocked both the houses of the legislature. While the Congress and the TRS felt that the AP leaders were still trying to continue their hegemony even after the bifurcation of the state, the T TDP leaders, while supporting the decision, said that the TS government should ask the Centre to name both the domestic and the international terminals after Telangana icons. It would be wrong to remove NTR’s name, while retaining Rajiv Gandhi’s name for the international airport.

In view of the sensitivity of the issue, Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao first convened a meeting of all political parties and then took a decision to move the resolution in the House which said that the Telangana Assembly was anguished over naming the domestic terminal after NTR. The House took strong exception to the Centre for taking the decision without consulting the state government. It requested the Centre to reconsider its decision maintain status quo immediately.

The Chief Minister questioned the TDP government for moving against the wishes and aspirations of Telangana people who were demanding to name after their own leaders to the government establishments. If the TDP government is desperate to name after NTR, it has four airports in Andhra Pradesh. “We have no intentions to dishonor NTR. We are not confronting with the Centre but requesting. My government only wants name change,” he said.

Alleging that the TDP resorted to cultural onslaught on Telangana, KCR said there were many great leaders from Telangana to name after the terminal. Former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao, Baddam Yella Reddy, Bhagyareddy Verma, Komaram Bheem, Ravi Narayana Reddy and Shaik Bandagi were some of the great persons who rendered great service to Telangana.

Opposition leader K Jana Reddy said the Centre should have consulted the state government before finalising the decision. He felt it was an attempt to degrade Telangana people.

TDP leader E Dayakar Rao suggested naming the international terminal after P V Narasimha Rao and chose one of the great leaders from Telangana for domestic terminal. He also said that it was the Congress-led UPA which removed NTR name for domestic terminal.

BJP leader G Kishan Reddy demand that the T government propose the name of one of the great persons of Telangana and adopt resolution and send the same to the centre. MIM Floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi demanded an all-party meeting to finalise the name for domestic terminal. Since the airport was constructed on Walkf lands registered under Hazarat Baba Sharfuddin, he wanted the airport named after him. CPI and CPM leaders Ravinder Kumar and S Rajaiah proposed the name of ST leader and Telangana martyr Komaram Bheem to the domestic terminal. After a voice vote, the Speaker announced that the resolution was adopted "unanimously" and the house adjourned till Monday.

A similar resolution was also passed in the Council.

Meanwhile, Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju rejected the criticism over naming the domestic terminal at Hyderabad International Airport after former Chief Minister N T Rama Rao, saying the decision was taken in 1999.