Hyderabad: The installation of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s statue near the state Secretariat has sparked a heated argument between the Congress party and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS). BRS working president K T Rama Rao (KTR) stated that once they return to power, they would remove the statue. In response, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy challenged them to try.
Revanth Reddy, while speaking at the unveiling of the statue, issued a strong warning, saying that even the farmhouses where BRS leaders feel safe would not be spared in the future.
During his speech, Revanth explained why the Congress government decided to install Rajiv Gandhi’s statue. He praised the efforts of the Gandhi family, from Jawaharlal Nehru to Rajiv Gandhi, stating that they had worked hard for the development of the state, unlike what he called KCR’s “power-hungry family.” He emphasized that the Gandhi family had made several sacrifices for the country, even laying down their lives.
Revanth also highlighted Rajiv Gandhi’s contributions, particularly in bringing about the IT revolution. Taking a jab at KTR, he said, “If not for Rajiv Gandhi’s vision, KTR would have been selling idlis in Guntur or chai samosa at a railway station. He should be thankful that Rajiv Gandhi’s vision allowed him to become IT minister.”
He further remarked that while Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi were assassinated by anti-Indian forces, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi had chosen not to take up any official posts, even though they could have become Prime Ministers. He accused the BRS of being upset about the statue because they had wanted the spot reserved for a statue of KCR. Revanth also criticized the BRS for not installing the Telangana Talli statue during their ten years in power.
Continuing his attack, Revanth pointed out that while the BRS was quick to construct the new Secretariat and install a statue of Ambedkar, they had failed to install the Telangana Talli statue and were now offering vague excuses.
In a sharp concluding remark, Revanth Reddy said that it was time to “remove the weeds” from state politics. He claimed that the BRS had no moral right to speak about the Gandhi family. “My elders used to say that donkeys won’t understand the value of sandalwood,” he added, mocking the BRS leadership.
