Hyderabad (Telangana), December 10: Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy inaugurated a statue of Telangana Thalli (Mother of Telangana) at the state secretariat on Monday, coinciding with the birth anniversary of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi. The event was attended by Congress leaders and ministers.
However, the move has drawn sharp criticism from the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), with BRS leaders accusing Congress of “insulting” Telangana’s legacy and politicizing the state’s cultural symbols.
BRS Condemns the Statue Unveiling
BRS chief KT Rama Rao (KTR) lashed out at the Congress, alleging that the unveiled statue represents “Congress Thalli” (Mother of Congress) rather than the true Telangana Thalli. He called on the public to oppose the move and vowed to replace the statue if BRS regains power.
“After years of struggle and losing young martyrs, we achieved Telangana as a separate state. Today, the Congress, which had no role in the movement, is trying to insult our history. The statue unveiled today represents Congress, not Telangana. This is a sad day, and we urge people to reject this move,” KTR told ANI.
KTR emphasized the symbolic importance of Telangana Thalli to the state’s aspirations and accused the Congress of attempting to alter this legacy. “We will replace the statue when we come to power in the next four years,” he added.
BRS Leader Kavitha Joins Criticism
BRS leader K Kavitha also criticized the timing of the statue unveiling, accusing CM Revanth Reddy of prioritizing political optics over public sentiment. “Telangana Thalli has been with us for decades. Unveiling the statue on Sonia Gandhi’s birthday just to score brownie points with her hurts the sentiments of Telangana’s people. We strongly reject this move,” she said.
Background of the Controversy
Telangana Thalli is a revered symbol of the state, representing the aspirations and struggles of the Telangana movement. The Congress has claimed credit for the formation of Telangana as a separate state in 2014, attributing the decision to Sonia Gandhi’s leadership. However, the BRS and other local groups argue that the movement’s success is owed to grassroots efforts and martyrs, rather than political maneuvers.
The opposition’s backlash highlights the ongoing political tussle between the Congress and the BRS in the lead-up to Telangana’s next assembly elections.