Telangana: Slugfest over Rajiv Gandhi statue near Secretariat turns ugly

The proposed installation of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s statue in front of the Telangana secretariat in Hyderabad took an ugly turn with Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K. T. Rama Rao (KTR) hitting back at Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy for his harsh remarks against former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. 

KTR vowed to remove the statue immediately after coming to power.  

“Mark my words Cheap Minister Revanth. We will clear out the trash from the surroundings of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar secretariat the very same day we are back in office. Can't expect a Delhi Ghulam like you to ever understand self-respect & pride of Telangana,” KTR wrote on X.

He said, “Using filthy language in front of school children shows your lousy thinking & uncouth upbringing. Wish you speedy healing from your mental sickness.” 

Earlier, the Chief Minister slammed KTR and his father K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR). 

Addressing a gathering at Rajiv Gandhi's statue at Punjagutta in Hyderabad, Revanth Reddy dared BRS leaders to touch Rajiv Gandhi's statue.

He defended the installation of the former Prime Minister's statue in front of the Secretariat and next to the Telangana Martyrs' Memorial, saying a leader who laid down their life for the country deserved this honour.

Alleging that KTR wants to install a statue of his father KCR, the Chief Minister remarked, "There is no place at the secretariat for the drunkards and thieves who looted Telangana in the name of statehood movement."

On KTR's argument that the previous BRS government had earmarked the place in front of the Secretariat for installing the statue of Telangana Talli, Revanth Reddy asked why the BRS failed to erect the Telangana Talli statue for 10 years.

The Chief Minister announced that the Telangana Talli statue will be unveiled in the Secretariat on December 9, which is the birthday of Sonia Gandhi.

Meanwhile, BRS leader and former minister S. Niranjan Reddy has condemned the Chief Minister's remarks against KCR. He said that Revanth Reddy, who trained guns on Telangana activists and was "caught" in a cash-for-vote scam while trying to "destabilise" the Telangana government, knew nothing about Telangana identity and self-respect.

"Revanth Reddy became chief minister in a lucky lottery and that's why he does not know the dignity of the post," said Niranjan Reddy.

With IANS inputs