Hyderabad.17.09.2024: Despite the absence of key Congress leaders like Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Rahul Gandhi, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy went ahead and unveiled a statue of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in front of the Secretariat on Monday. The unveiling has sparked controversy both within the Congress party and among the public, with the ruling BRS party strongly opposing the move.
The statue’s installation was initially planned for August 20, coinciding with Rajiv Gandhi’s birth anniversary, but was delayed for a month. When the event finally took place, only a few Congress leaders, including AICC Telangana in-charge Deepadas Munshi, attended, raising questions among Congress workers about why national leaders chose to stay away.
Meanwhile, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) party, led by KT Rama Rao, has launched protests against the decision to place Rajiv Gandhi’s statue in a spot originally designated for a statue of *Telangana Talli* (the symbolic mother of Telangana). BRS members plan to hold statewide demonstrations on Tuesday, performing ‘palabhishekam’ (a traditional ritual) to statues of Telangana Talli across various assembly constituencies in protest.
In a statement, KT Rama Rao condemned the Congress government’s decision, calling it a “shameful act” that disrespects Telangana’s identity. He emphasized that while the Congress is free to honor Rajiv Gandhi, doing so at the expense of Telangana’s cultural heritage is unacceptable.
“The site was chosen by the previous Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao for the Telangana Talli statue to represent the pride and aspirations of the state. Installing Rajiv Gandhi’s statue in that location is an insult to the people of Telangana,” Rama Rao said.
He vowed that if the BRS returns to power, they would relocate the Rajiv Gandhi statue to Gandhi Bhavan and restore the Telangana Talli statue to its rightful place. Rama Rao also criticized the Congress leadership, accusing them of prioritizing approval from Delhi over the interests of Telangana. He warned that such decisions would face political backlash from the people of the state.
The installation of the Rajiv Gandhi statue has now become a flashpoint, with the BRS determined to oppose the move and protect what they see as Telangana’s cultural heritage.
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