Revanth Reddy and KTR exchanged sharp criticism over statue issue in Telangana
Hyderabad:
The Congress government's decision to install a statue of former Prime Minister late Rajiv Gandhi outside the Telangana Secretariat has led to a heated exchange between Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and former minister KT Rama Rao.
Mr Reddy said that a statue of Mr Gandhi will be installed on the Secretariat premises soon. A statue of 'Telangana Thalli' – the mother goddess of the state – will also be installed on the Secretariat premises, he said.
Mr Rao, better known as KTR, said the spot chosen by the Congress government for the Rajiv Gandhi statue was actually meant for the Telangana Thalli statue.
“Mark my words, cheap minister Revanth. We will clear the garbage from the area around Dr BR Ambedkar’s secretariat the same day we return to office,” KTR said in a message on X.
Remember my words, cheap minister Revanth
We will clear the garbage from the area around Dr BR Ambedkar Secretariat on the same day we return to the office
You can't expect a Delhi Ghulam like you to ever understand the self-respect and pride of Telangana
The use of foul language in…
— KTR (@KTRBRS) August 20, 2024
The former minister said that it was the tenure of former Chief Minister and his father KCR that changed the Telangana Secretariat into a beautiful structure. He called the Congress party “anti-Telangana” for deciding to install the statue of Rajiv Gandhi at the spot reserved for Telangana Thalli. He said that the BRS government during its 10-year tenure never considered changing the names of schemes or places named after Congress leaders.
“In four years, a BRS government will be formed under KCR. Once that happens, we will remove the statue of Rajiv Gandhi with all due respect and move it wherever Congress wants and reinstall the statue of Telangana Thalli,” KTR said.
In a sharp reaction, the Chief Minister challenged the BRS leaders to touch the statue of Rajiv Gandhi. “When we suggest to install the statue of Rajiv Gandhi, who gave his life for the country, they say they will remove it. Despite losing power, their arrogance remains. Our party activists will take the responsibility to crush this arrogance.”
“If anyone touches the statue of Rajiv Gandhi, all hell will break loose. He (KTR) is daydreaming that BRS will come to power again,” the Chief Minister said at an event, where he asked if the former minister wants the statue of his father to be installed. He also called the former Chief Minister a “drunkard”.
KTR called the Chief Minister a “Delhi Ghulam” and said he could not expect him to understand the self-respect and pride of Telangana.
“Using foul language in front of school children shows your bad thinking and uncivilised upbringing. I wish you a speedy recovery from your mental illness,” he replied. KTR has said that if the Chief Minister wants to impress the Congress high command, he should get the statue of Rajiv Gandhi installed at Gandhi Bhavan, the state Congress headquarters, or the Chief Minister's residence.
