HYDERABAD: BRS working president K Taraka Rama Rao came down heavily on the Congress party over installing a statue of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi at the Telangana Secretariat, which was supposed to be a significant place for the cultural and historical pride of Telangana.

KTR, in his speech on the issue, highlighted that during the era of united Andhra Pradesh, the Secretariat was in a dilapidated condition with inadequate safety provisions like non-functional fire engines. After the formation of Telangana, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao decided to rebuild the Secretariat to reflect the valour and grandeur of the state and create a place that would inspire future generations.

KTR highlighted the installation of a magnificent statue of Dr BR Ambedkar and renamed the Secretariat in his honour as a tribute to the great leader. The Secretariat also houses an ‘Amar Jyoti’ memorial to honour the sacrifices of the martyrs.

KTR expressed disappointment that the Congress party, instead of respecting the cultural symbols of Telangana, has decided to install a statue of Rajiv Gandhi at a place originally earmarked for Telangana Talli, a symbolic representation of the state’s identity and pride. He observed that the Congress party’s actions are hurting Telangana’s self-respect. He promised to remove the Rajiv Gandhi statue and shift it to a more appropriate place once the BRS comes back to power in four years.

He also took a dig at the Congress, saying that despite the numerous places already named after Rajiv Gandhi, such as the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, the Congress still feels the need to impose his legacy on the holy places of Telangana. He warned that Telangana will not forget the insult to Telangana Talli and vowed to restore the dignity of the state by reconsidering the naming of the airport in honour of a regional hero from Telangana, similar to what is being done in other states.

KTR urged the Congress party to rethink its approach, saying that Telangana’s struggle was one of existence and self-respect and that no actions that undermine the state’s cultural identity would be tolerated.