HYDERABAD: BRS incumbent leader KT Rama Rao on Monday protested against the state government’s decision to install a statue of Rajiv Gandhi outside the Secretariat and said his party would remove the statue if it “returns” to power.

Talking to reporters, Rama Rao said the BRS government had proposed to install the statue of Telangana Talli and had identified that location in front of the Secretariat. “But the Congress government is now trying to install the statue of Rajiv Gandhi at the same place. This is nothing but an insult to the self-respect of Telangana,” he said.

“If the Congress government erects the statue of Rajiv Gandhi, the next BRS government will remove it and erect the Telangana Talli statue,” he added.

Rama Rao recalled that after the construction of the new Secretariat, the BRS government had created an island in front of the Secretariat and proposed to install a Telangana Talli statue there during the 10-year celebrations of the state’s formation. “A park named after former chief minister Anjaiah was renamed Lumbini Park. Now the government is trying to install the statue of Rajiv Gandhi, who had insulted Anjaiah, near Lumbini Park,” he alleged.

“The BRS government has never removed Rajiv Gandhi’s name from the Rajiv Aarogyasri project, Rajiv Gandhi IIIT, Rajiv Gandhi statue, Rajiv Gandhi Uppal Stadium, Rajiv Rahadari and Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. But the Congress government is insulting Telangana with its plan to install a Rajiv Gandhi statue where the Telangana Talli statue was to be installed,” he said.

Rama Rao also said that if the BRS comes to power, it would also rename the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport.

Kavitha is missing

Meanwhile, Rama Rao expressed his grief at missing his sister Kavitha on Raksha Bandhan day.

“You may not be able to tie a Rakhi today. But it will be with you through thick and thin,” he posted on X.

MEETING WITH THE MINISTER FROM SRI LANKA

In a post on X, BRS acting president KT Rama Rao said he met Sri Lankan minister Sathasivam Viyalendiran on Monday.

“I had a productive meeting today with Sri Lankan Minister Sri Sathasivam Viyalendiran, who visited me in Hyderabad. I was humbled by his words about Telangana’s rapid progress and the development of Hyderabad. I am proud of how far we have come in just 10 years. I am grateful to Minister Sathasivam for recognizing our efforts in making Hyderabad a hub of opportunity,” he said.