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BRS leader K Kavitha on Tuesday slammed the Congress-led Telangana government’s move to inaugurate a new Telangana Talli (mother Telangana) statue at the Secretariat, saying it failed to represent the state’s rich culture and heritage.
In a symbolic protest, Kavitha performed Abhishekam rituals at the original Telangana Talli statue at Telangana Bhavan and said the statue represented the soul of the Telangana movement and held deep emotional value for the people.
“This statue has been the symbol of our struggle, sacrifices and identity for decades. It cannot simply be replaced at the whim of a government order. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, who has no role in the Telangana movement and has historically supported a united Andhra Pradesh, cannot arbitrarily replace this revered icon with his vision,” Kavitha said.
“This decision is not just an affront to the BRS but to the sentiments of 4 crore people of Telangana,” she added.
She questioned the Congress government’s secrecy surrounding the unveiling of the new statue, which she alleged was introduced without public discussion or consent. “If the Congress truly respects the sentiments of Telangana’s four crore people, why was this decision taken without public discourse? What was the fear in discussing this with the people?” she asked.
Accusing the government of timing the statue’s unveiling with Congress veteran Sonia Gandhi’s birthday on December 9, the BRS leader accused the grand old party of sacrificing Telangana’s identity.
“If Revanth Reddy wanted to impress the Gandhis, there are countless ways to do so. Sacrificing Telangana’s identity is not one of them. History is not rewritten by replacing symbols. It is preserved by respecting the sentiments of its people,” she said.
She asserted that the original Telangana Talli statue stood as “our idol during the fight for statehood”. “The Congress government has disrespected this emotional bond,” she alleged.
Kavitha said the BRS would bring back the original Telangana Talli statue if it was voted to power again.
“The Congress has played with the sacrifices of those who fought for Telangana. As BRS returns to power, we will bring back the original Telangana Talli statue. It represents our culture, heritage, and the spirit of Telangana. The new statue, which the Congress claims is a common woman of Telangana, has no connection to our roots and sentiment,” she further said.
Reddy on Monday inaugurated a statue of Telangana Talli on the Secretariat premises in Hyderabad. He said MLAs, poets and other sections of society praised the portrait now finalised by the government for its resemblance to a typical mother. “They told me to ignore the criticism from political parties as such outfits speak as per their policies,” he said.
BRS working president KT Rama Rao (KTR) had alleged that the design featuring “Congress’ hand symbol was an attempt to align Telangana’s identity with the party’s political agenda”.
The design prepared by the government depicts Telangana Talli in traditional attire, while the statue’s portrait of BRS included ornaments and a crown, KTR had said.
(with inputs from PTI)
