With the Telangana Assembly elections only a few months away, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government has drawn big plans to celebrate the tenth year of state formation in a grand manner, highlighting the progress made by India’s youngest state. In what is being seen as an attempt to draw political mileage in the run-up to the polls, the BRS has decided to organise Formation Day celebrations for 21 days beginning from June 2.
Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR), at a high-level meeting on Saturday, May 13, decided to organise the celebrations with full grandeur and fervour from the village level to the state capital Hyderabad. The move is significant as opposition parties have been attacking KCR ever since he changed the name of his party from Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) to Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS). The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is projecting itself as the only viable alternative in the state, had slammed KCR for removing Telangana from the party’s name.
Political analysts say that KCR has decided to organise the celebrations for three weeks to counter the opposition attack and highlight the message that the party has not forgotten the Telangana movement and the sacrifices of the martyrs. As part of the celebrations, one day will be celebrated as ‘Martyrs Day’ to commemorate the sacrifices during the statehood movement.
At the meeting, KCR recalled that Telangana state was achieved through protracted struggle. He claimed that the state now stands as a role model for the entire country in administration. He announced that celebrations will be organised in a festive atmosphere in tune with the aspirations of the Telangana people.
The first day of the celebrations will begin at the BR Ambedkar Telangana Secretariat under the CM’s leadership. On the same day, state Ministers will organise the state formation day programmes in their respective district centres. KCR said, “The Telangana state was formed after a lot of struggles and hardships. The state of Telangana is the youngest state in the country. With the combined efforts of the people's representatives and the government machinery, today Telangana is achieving excellent results in all fields and continuing its progress.”
“Telangana has become a role model for the country. The other states are surprised to see our progress. Leaders and people of Maharashtra and other northern states were also surprised to hear and see the progress Telangana state is making. We are registering wonderful progress in all fields,’ he added.
On the occasion of Martyrs Memorial Day, martyr memorials across the state will be decorated with flowers and illuminated with lights. Tributes will be paid to them in every village. The national flag will be hoisted and the police will formally salute the martyrs by firing guns. Collectors of all districts and all government departments will also participate in the events.
Various departments will screen their developmental achievements through documentaries. They will be allotted different days to screen the documentaries.
Considering the day allotted to the Electricity Department as ‘Power Day’, the entire day will be celebrated with a documentary presentation about the achievements of the department and other information. Similarly, Water Day will highlight the progress made in irrigation, drinking water, and development of water resources.
A special Welfare Day is also planned, with special media campaigns on the welfare activities of the state government for poor communities, including SC, ST, BC, minority women, the implementation of Dalit Bandhu, the unveiling of the 125-ft statue of Dr BR Ambedkar, and naming of the secretariat after Ambedkar.
A documentary on the first and second phase of the Telangana movement in independent India and the achievement of Telangana state will also be produced. Another documentary will be made to outline the progress made by Telangana as a state from June 2, 2014 to June 2, 2023.
Traditional food festivals, games, kavi sammelanams (gathering of poets), Astavadhanas, performances by folk and other musicians and by movie industry artists, and other cultural programmes will be organised.
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