Mon Sep 16 15:28:06 UTC 2024: ## Telangana CM Unveils Rajiv Gandhi Statue, Defends Its Placement Amidst BRS Opposition

**Hyderabad:** Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Monday inaugurated a statue of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in front of the state Secretariat, amidst protests from the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) party. The move has sparked a political controversy, with the BRS claiming the spot was meant for a statue of “Telangana Talli” (Mother Telangana).

In a fiery speech, Reddy slammed the BRS for their opposition, asking if their party supremo K. Chandrashekar Rao’s family was aware of the sacrifices made by the Gandhi family for the nation. He dared the BRS to remove the statue after they come back to power, and challenged their claim that the spot was meant for “Telangana Talli”, asking what the BRS government did for 10 years to honour the state’s cultural symbol. He said his government had already allocated a space for “Telangana Talli” statue in the Secretariat and it will be unveiled on December 9th.

Reddy paid rich tributes to Rajiv Gandhi, highlighting his contributions including lowering the voting age to 18 years, empowering panchayats through the 73rd Constitutional Amendment, introducing Information Technology, and empowering women politically. He also lauded the sacrifices of the Gandhi family, mentioning Jawaharlal Nehru’s role in protecting India’s integrity and Indira Gandhi’s efforts for the development of the poor, including nationalizing banks, abolishing privy purses, and distributing land to the weaker sections.

The event was attended by several Congress leaders, including ministers Uttam Kumar Reddy, Damodar Rajanarasimha, Ponnam Prabhakar, and state Congress chief Mahesh Kumar Goud. The unveiling of the statue is likely to further escalate political tension in the state ahead of the upcoming elections.

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