KCR calls redesigning of Telangana Thalli statue ‘reckless, foolish’, slams Congress for undermining Telangana’s cultural legacy

Referring to the historical "Telangana Thalli" designed during the Telangana movement, he criticised the current administration for its lack of understanding and respect for the State’s cultural and historical essence.

Hyderabad: BRS president and former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao came down heavily on the Congress government for disregarding Telangana’s rich cultural heritage and eroding the symbols that represent its identity. Referring to the historical “Telangana Thalli” designed during the Telangana movement, he criticised the current administration for its lack of understanding and respect for the State’s cultural and historical essence.

He expressed outrage at the Congress government’s actions, calling them a reckless assault on Telangana’s cultural heritage.

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“This Chief Minister is acting without direction, threatening the very existence of Telangana’s identity with ill-conceived ideas. It reflects a lack of understanding and respect for our history,” he said.

Chairing the BRS Legislative Party meeting at his residence in Erravelli on Sunday, Chandrashekhar Rao recounted the origins of  Telangana Thalli, which is rooted in the Telangana’s statehood movement.

“Intellectuals, poets, and artists like Dasaradhi and Ravela Venkata Rao conceptualised her as a mother figure, embodying the spirit of Telangana. In 2007, this figure was formally introduced during a grand procession, culminating in her installation at Telangana Bhavan. Telangana Thalli symbolises the revival of our forgotten history and cultural identity, neglected under the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh rulers,” he explained.

On being invited to the installation ceremony of the redesigned statue of Telangana Thalli, the BRS president explained that despite political differences, he followed Telangana’s tradition of treating guests with respect and hosted lunch for Minister Ponnam Prabhakar who came to invite him. However, he did not elaborate any further on attending the event.

The former Chief Minister highlighted the Congress government’s failure to address electricity issues, despite inheriting significant infrastructure. He pointed out that the Yadadri Thermal Power Plant, inaugurated recently, was a vision initiated by his government to tackle power shortages. Along with NTPC, the project has added 2,400 MW of electricity capacity. However, he pointed out that the Congress government has failed to ensure uninterrupted quality electricity for farmers and the public, undermining the achievements of the previous administration.

“The Congress government is not only failing to preserve Telangana’s heritage but also neglecting the basic needs of its people,” he asserted, emphasising the need to safeguard the State’s identity and ensure effective governance.

Chandrashekhar Rao stated that the BRS gave enough time to the Congress government which completed one year in power recently. He observed that people who voted for the Congress with lot of hopes, are fed up with the incompetence of the current regime. “As the party which realised Telangana and led it in the path of progress for ten years, the BRS should now take an aggressive stance in confronting the government and questioning its unfulfilled promises. The Assembly must be the platform to stop the anti-people policies of the government,” he said.

He also condemned the careless and deceitful attitude of the State government which failed to fulfill the aspirations of the people. He said the government prioritised harassing the people for their properties, whether it was farm lands at Lagacherla and other places or the houses of people residing in Hyderabad in the name of Musi River beautification.

“This is unforgivable. Both the Houses must be made platforms to stop the tyrannical decisions of the Congress government which is demolishing the homes of the poor,” he said.