Statue of Rajiv Gandhi at Telangana Secretariat Sparks Row Between CM Revanth Reddy and KTR

GG News Bureau
Hyderabad, 21st August. The Congress government’s decision to install a statue of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in front of the Telangana Secretariat has ignited a heated exchange between Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and former minister KT Rama Rao (KTR). The controversy stems from the Congress government’s plan to place Rajiv Gandhi’s statue on the secretariat premises, alongside a statue of ‘Telangana Thalli,’ the state’s revered mother goddess.

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy announced the upcoming installation of the statues, stating that both Rajiv Gandhi and Telangana Thalli deserve to be honored at the Secretariat. However, KTR, known for his outspoken views, criticized the decision, claiming that the chosen location for Rajiv Gandhi’s statue had originally been reserved for Telangana Thalli.

In a post on X, KTR lambasted the Congress government, referring to Revanth Reddy as “Cheap Minister” and vowing to “clear out the trash” from the surroundings of the Dr. BR Ambedkar Secretariat as soon as the BRS returns to power. He accused the Congress of being “anti-Telangana” for its decision and emphasized that the BRS, during its 10-year tenure, never altered names of schemes or locations named after Congress leaders.

KTR further stated that once a BRS government is formed under KCR in four years, they will respectfully remove Rajiv Gandhi’s statue and reinstall Telangana Thalli’s statue in its place.

Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, in a sharp rebuttal, dared BRS leaders to attempt to remove Rajiv Gandhi’s statue, warning that “hell will break loose” if anyone touches it. He criticized KTR for his arrogance and accused him of “day-dreaming” about the BRS returning to power. The CM also took a personal jab at KTR, calling his father, former Chief Minister KCR, a “drunk,” and questioned whether KTR wanted his father’s statue to be installed instead.

KTR responded by calling the CM a “Delhi Ghulam” and accused him of failing to understand the self-respect and pride of Telangana. He also condemned the CM’s use of “filthy language” in front of school children, attributing it to “lousy thinking and uncouth upbringing.” KTR further suggested that if the Chief Minister wanted to impress the Congress high command, he should have Rajiv Gandhi’s statue installed at the state Congress headquarters or the CM’s residence.

The escalating war of words between the two leaders has brought to the forefront the underlying political tensions in Telangana as the state approaches its next electoral battle.