Kavitha slams Congress over changes to Telangana Thalli design

She expressed deep concern, stating that the spirit of Telangana had eroded under the Congress regime. She declared that the BRS would resist Congress’s attempts to rewrite Telangana's history and demanded the restoration of Telangana’s true cultural symbols.

Hyderabad: BRS MLC K Kavitha criticised Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and the Congress government for altering the design of Telangana Thalli, charging them with turning Telangana Thalli into “Congress Thalli (mother).” She expressed deep concern, stating that the spirit of Telangana had eroded under the Congress regime. She declared that the BRS would resist Congress’s attempts to rewrite Telangana’s history and demanded the restoration of Telangana’s true cultural symbols.

“Telangana Thalli, who inspired millions during the Statehood movement, has been reduced to a Congress symbol. Bathukamma, a unique cultural tradition of Telangana, has been removed, stripping the essence of Telangana’s identity,” she said in a statement.

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The BRS MLC condemned the Congress government for installing Telangana Thalli statue inside the State Secretariat, restricting public access. “How can the people of Telangana honour their mother if they are barred from garlanding her statue?” she asked, also stating that Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, who once aimed his gun at Telangana activists during the statehood movement, was now daring to redefine Telangana’s identity. She demanded that the Chief Minister apologise to the people of the State for his actions.

Recalling BRS president K Chandrashekhar Rao‘s efforts, Kavitha emphasised that the original design of Telangana Thalli celebrated the State’s culture and traditions, particularly Bathukamma. “For 18 years, no one questioned Telangana Thalli. The Congress has no right to impose its own version and erase the legacy of our Thalli,” she asserted.

Speaking to mediapersons at Telangana Bhavan on Monday, MLC Surabhi Vani Devi stated that former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao got the Telangana Thalli designed in strict adherence to the Shilpa Shastra during the Telangana statehood movement, which was ignored in the new design.

She stated that Telangana Thalli was an emotion for the people of the State, but the Congress government turned her into a mere Congress symbol. She questioned the absence of Bathukamma which is the sole identity of Telangana and demanded the Congress to explain why the Thalli should be depicted as a poor reflection of the State.