Synopsis: Notwithstanding the intraparty fissures back home, BRS Working President KT Rama Rao exhorted the Telugu diaspora in Dallas, US, to contribute emotionally, intellectually, and financially to the efforts to realise the Telangana dream.
Terming the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation project the “crowning jewel” in Telangana’s progress, BRS Working President KT Rama Rao said some “fools” were speaking ill about it without understanding the scheme.
Addressing a meeting held as part of the Telangana Formation Day in Dallas, US, on Sunday, 1 June (early 2 June in India), KTR — as Rama Rao is known — tried to make light of the damages to the barrages of the project.
“Some fools are speaking ill of the project without understanding it,” he said in a veiled reference to the incumbent Congress government in Telangana. “You people in the US might’ve bought houses. If a small crack appears after a few years, would you repair it or say your house is destroyed?” he asked.
Reaffirming the BRS’s commitment to the “Telangana Dream”, KTR said the party had achieved a few things but has to accomplish more.
“If we want to become a first-world country, we have a long way to go. I request all the NRIs here to show that even thousands of miles away, Telangana’s blood runs warm, loud, and proud. This is not a plea, it is a partnership. I stand here to reaffirm our commitment to the motherland through this vision that we call ‘The Telangana Dream,'” he stated.
Also Read: KCR, Harish Rao and Eatala Rajender summoned in Kaleshwaram case
A new chapter
“Your expertise is not just useful, it is necessary for the country now. Your return to India may not be physical, but let it be emotional, intellectual, and financial. From the Telangana that was to the Telangana that is,” KTR continued.
Supporters welcoming KTR at Dallas.
The BRS leader also addressed various issues that students from Telangana have been facing in the US. He proposed the setting up of a legal cell to address their challenges.
“When we are in the state, we are Telangana’s people; across state borders, we’re Telugu people, across national borders, we are Indians. We are proud of all these identities,” KTR said, taking the opportunity to say thanks to the Armed Forces in light of the Pahalgam Attack.
“The Telangana that is must lead the Telangana that can be. You’re not just NRIs, Non-Residents of India, you are Necessary Residents of India. It is time to rekindle the Telangana dream. Like Martin Luther King said, he had a dream, so do we. After 14 years of struggle and 10 years of determination, this is not how the story ends; this is just the beginning of a new chapter,” he said.
Also Read: Kavitha steps up offensive indirectly against KTR
The journey so far
Fresh from his recent visit to the UK, where he connected with the Indian diaspora, KTR’s address in Dallas struck a deeply emotional chord. Reflecting on a journey that spans decades, he spoke of past struggles, present achievements, and future aspirations.
KTR speaking at the meeting
From policy milestones to appeals for global partnership, his speech was a reminder that Telangana’s story continues beyond its borders.
“To stand here among families that have crossed oceans in pursuit of the American Dream, let me speak of the smaller, rooted dream. 25 years ago, a dream was sown, an unconditional one, and it walked among us as part of our identity and pride. We must remember the sacrifices made for the dream,” KTR posited.
