TRS MP Kavitha says Hyderabad, Kashmir forcibly merged into India, faces sedition charge

New Delhi: Telangana Rashtra Samiti MP K Kavitha has been charged with sedition for saying that Hyderabad, Kashmir were forcibly merged into India. An FIR has been filed after a complaint was filed by a Hyderabad based lawyer who also serves as the convener of the BJP's legal cell.

Madannapet Police filed FIR under section 124-A, 153-B and 505 of IPC.

While responding to a question at the Idea Exchange program of the Indian Express, Kavitha said, "Jammu and Kashmir and Telangana were both forcefully and at the same time annexed to the Indian Union. When I say I feel strongly, it's because we were both separate countries, but were merged with the Indian Union after Independence. In 1947, we were not a part of India.

"After 1947, we became a part of India. Then the troubles really started. None of our people was very rich before. So it's from the people's perspective that I've started reading about Jammu and Kashmir. We need to solve issues, particularly the Kashmiri Pandits' issue which is put up in the agenda of the BJP. They say we can all take them back home, but it is just a political statement. You have to create a safe environment before you take them there. We need to come out clean on Jammu and Kashmir. Few parts were not ours, we should agree, we should redraw the international lines, and move on."

Kavitha is the daughter of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.