The newly designed Telangana Thalli statue by the Revanth Reddy government has raised a hot controversy, as BRS leaders, including former Minister KTR, have strictly opposed the change. KTR said that the people of Telangana might get hurt emotionally if the statue is changed. The Congress-led government, despite these objections, unveiled the revised version of the iconic Telangana Thalli statue.
The issue has finally landed into courts as former Chairman, Sahitya Akademi and a well-known writer Juluri Gouri Shankar on Saturday himself moved a public interest petition into High Court. Gouri Shankar has in the public interest litigation filed questioned seriously the changes that made in the statue that carries emotional and cultural sensitivity to the people of Telangana.
Gouri Shankar approached the High Court and requested it to intervene and stop the new statue’s unveiling scheduled for December 9 at the Secretariat. He underlined the historical significance of the original Telangana Thalli statue, which was crucial during the statehood movement, with stalwarts like Professor Jayashankar and former Chief Minister KCR having contributed to its making. This is, according to Gouri Shankar, in so many words, would betray both the historical and the emotive value of the statue as well for the people of Telangana.
Additionally, Gouri Shankar voiced his concerns over the government’s plans to replace existing Telangana Thalli statues across the state. He warned that such actions could lead to a misuse of public funds, further adding to the controversy. He urged the court to take into account the feelings of the people of Telangana, who hold this statue in high regard, and to prevent any unnecessary changes to this deeply cherished symbol.
