Hyderabad, Jan 15 (IANS): Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy on Wednesday shared a post of singer Mittapally Surender about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's gesture of holding the hands of a Dappu player, who comes from Dalit community.
While attending Sankranti celebrations at Kishan Reddy's house in New Delhi on January 13, the Prime Minister held the hand of Dappu player and touched it with his forehead. The Union Minister termed Mittapally Surender's post as poignant.
"This post of my brother Mittapally Surender is indeed poignant. The post defines the very characteristic of Modi ji while unmasking the hypocrisy of a few political leaders, Kishan Reddy wrote on 'X'.
Kishan Reddy, who is also the president of BJP’s Telangana unit, posted the translation of the Telangana singer's Telugu post as well.
"Here's the true translation: What a spectacular scene is this! I am not saying this because PM Modi touched these hands with his forehead. I am asking all those leaders who treated these very people as untouchables, made them live on the outskirts of the villages for generations, yet they stood before their huts to ask them to play the daapu for their Padayatras, for their victory processions. Did you (the leaders) ever consider them humans? Think for yourselves," reads the post.
“This scene (the image of Modiji having the hands of the Dappu artist on his forehead) has indeed moved my heart,” wrote the singer, who also invited the Prime Minister to visit Telangana.
“Modi Ji, please come to Telangana; we will turn our hearts into Dappulu and play on them for you,” stated Mittapally Surender.
Kishan Reddy ended his post with a note about Dappu.
"Dappu is a traditional musical instrument usually played people belonging SC community in Telangana.”
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi, ace badminton player P V Sindhu and several union ministers had also attended the Sankranti programme at Kishan Reddy’s residence.