Strange are the ways of Telugu associations in the US. Most of them have already been divided on caste lines and now on regional lines and they have been organising Telugu conferences at their own will and chalking out their own programmes.
But, when these associations invite someone from the Telugu land, whether it is from Telangana or Andhra Pradesh, they have to respect the invitees.
Especially, the artistes who come all the way from India, expect that they are treated with respect. But the Telugu associations do not show the same kind of enthusiasm in putting up their own show on respecting the invitees.
It happened in the case of Telangana Rashtra Samithi MLA and chairman of Telangana culture department Rasamayi Balakishan, who was invited to the American Telugu Association conference, He was called on to the stage to perform for an hour.
When Balakishan was ready to sing, one of the organisers said there was no need for any singing. Another person said since Balakishan was already on the dais, let him sing for five minutes. The first organiser said, no; he can take only one minute. Balakishan was prepared to sing even for a minute and as he took up the mike, somebody disconnected it and the poor Telangana artiste remained helpless.
A humiliated Rasamayi declared that there would be no Telangana song on the ATA dais hereafter.
