People Are Asking: Is This Telangana Thalli or Congress Thalli?
Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy is set to unveil the newly redesigned statue of Telangana Thalli at the state Secretariat on December 9, marking one year of his government in office. The move, however, has sparked a political storm, with the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) branding the statue as a “Congress Thalli.”
In a bid for inclusivity, the Congress government has extended invitations to former Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao and BJP leader and Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar to attend the event.
Redesign Sparks Debate
The controversy follows a previous dispute over the installation of Rajiv Gandhi’s statue near Tank Bund, where the BRS had reserved space for the Telangana Thalli statue. Addressing the criticism, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy announced the unveiling of the redesigned Telangana Thalli statue on December 9, choosing a prominent spot within the Secretariat for the ceremony.
The new statue, already installed at its designated location, has undergone significant changes. Previously, Telangana Thalli was depicted holding ears of maize and paddy in one hand, with the floral arrangement of the Bathukamma festival in the other, dressed in a royal outfit with a crown. The redesigned statue features a simpler appearance, wearing a green saree to align with local customs. It retains the maize and paddy in one hand while the other rests in the traditional Abhaya mudra.
BRS Voices Outrage
BRS supporters have criticized the redesign, arguing that the right hand of the statue, depicted in the Abhaya mudra, resembles the Congress party’s electoral symbol of a hand. They also pointed out the Congress’s manifesto titled Abhayahastham, which has further fueled their discontent.
“Telangana Thalli was a product of extensive consultations with poets, artists, and intellectuals during the statehood movement. Revanth Reddy’s decision to replace it with a Congress Thalli is a blatant attempt to erase Telangana’s cultural identity,” said K.T. Rama Rao, BRS working president. He described the redesign as an insult to the statehood struggle and vowed to reinstate the original statue if the BRS regains power.
Preparations Underway
Amid the political wrangling, preparations for the unveiling ceremony are in full swing. The event is being touted as a major milestone for the Congress-led government, with Chief Minister Reddy emphasizing the redesigned statue as a representation of Telangana’s agrarian culture and simplicity.
As the countdown begins, the controversy surrounding Telangana Thalli underscores the deep political divides in the state, with both the Congress and BRS framing the statue as a symbol of their vision for Telangana’s identity and future.
