Amid an ongoing war of words with BRS leader K.T. Rama Rao over the installation of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s statue, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy conducted an inspection of the state secretariat on Tuesday to finalize the location for installing the ‘Telangana Talli’ (Mother Telangana) statue.
Earlier in the day, Revanth Reddy announced that the Telangana Talli statue would be installed in the Secretariat premises on December 9. Accompanied by his advisor, Vem Narender Reddy, the Chief Minister toured the Secretariat grounds to identify the most suitable spot for this significant cultural symbol.
According to a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office, Revanth Reddy reiterated that the Telangana Secretariat, being the heart of state administration, is the ideal location for the Telangana Talli statue, which should be placed with pride and utmost respect. During the inspection, the Chief Minister discussed the location, space requirements, and design plans for the statue with the officials, emphasizing that it should reflect Telangana’s rich culture. He instructed the officials to prepare detailed plans for the installation.
The Chief Minister’s decision comes in response to criticism from K.T. Rama Rao, the Working President of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), who opposed the installation of Rajiv Gandhi’s statue in front of the Secretariat. KTR claimed that the land was originally designated for the Telangana Talli statue and accused the Congress government of disrespecting Telangana’s self-respect by installing the former Prime Minister’s statue there.
KTR further warned that if BRS returns to power, they would remove Rajiv Gandhi’s statue, along with the names of Gandhi family members from welfare schemes and public installations like the international airport. In a strong rebuttal, Revanth Reddy challenged KTR to attempt the removal, defending the installation by highlighting Rajiv Gandhi’s sacrifice for the nation.
During his participation in Rajiv Gandhi’s birth anniversary celebrations on Tuesday, the Chief Minister reaffirmed his commitment to installing the Telangana Talli statue in the Secretariat, emphasizing its cultural and historical significance to the people of Telangana.
