Telangana Congress seeks chapter on Sonia in text books

Naveen S Garewal

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Tribune News Service

Hyderabad, December 11

Telangana Congress has demanded that school books in the state include a chapter on Congress president Sonia Gandhi and the role she played in the formation of the state after bifurcation of erstwhile Andhra Pradesh.

The demand was originally raised on her 74th birthday and reiterated again.

Congress national spokesperson Sravan Dasoju has urged Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) to acknowledge the role of Sonia Gandhi and have a chapter in school books to highlight her contribution as a mark of respect and gratitude.

“You are very much aware that, without Sonia Gandhi, Telangana would never have been a reality. The least we could do is to represent her monumental contribution by including her life in our school education syllabus,” the Congress leader said in a message to the CM.

He went on to say, “Just as one cannot deny the role of KCR, nobody can deny the role of Sonia Gandhi in Telangana formation. While KCR’s and various others’ role in the state formation has been mentioned in school syllabus, why not mention Sonia Gandhi’s role too,” Dasoju asked.

He said that but for Sonia Gandhi, who was the chairperson of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and president of the Congress party, Telangana’s existence would be still a dream for many.

Telangana state was formed on June 4, 2014 and the resolution for the same was passed in Parliament on February 20, earlier that year.

The state government has included a chapter in the social studies textbook for Class X, highlighting the role of KCR in the formation of Telangana state.

The 14-page chapter mentions the revival of the Telangana movement by KCR in 2001, his fast-unto-death in 2009 and the mass protests led by him for the statehood.