CM unveiled the statue of former PM Rajiv Gandhi

Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy will unveil a statue of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on Monday afternoon, located opposite the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Telangana State Secretariat. The event will see participation from all Ministers and senior party officials.

The unveiling, originally planned for August 20, 2024, to coincide with Rajiv Gandhi’s 80th birth anniversary, was postponed. All India Congress Committee (AICC) President Mallikarjun Kharge had been invited to the occasion.

Last month, the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) raised objections, claiming the location was reserved for a Telangana Talli statue. In response, on August 20, Chief Minister Reddy announced that the Telangana Talli statue would indeed be installed at the Secretariat, with a Bhoomi Puja for the statue held on August 28, 2024.

During his speech, the Chief Minister paid homage to Rajiv Gandhi, highlighting his ultimate sacrifice for the nation. He praised Gandhi for accepting the role of Prime Minister to serve the people and recalled his efforts to lower the voting age to 18, which broadened democratic participation.

Revanth Reddy also echoed Mahatma Gandhi’s sentiment that “India lives in its villages,” emphasizing that Rajiv Gandhi realized this vision through the 73rd Constitutional Amendment, which empowered panchayats with financial autonomy. The Chief Minister credited Rajiv Gandhi with politically empowering women and pioneering the introduction of Information Technology in India.

He further noted that the Gandhi family has a legacy of sacrifices. He recalled Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s imprisonment during the freedom struggle and his critical role in merging 564 princely states into the Indian union, ensuring national integrity. Nehru, with his visionary leadership, restored peace during communal violence and laid the groundwork for India’s future by prioritizing education and irrigation.

Addressing political succession, Revanth Reddy dismissed criticisms, asserting that Indira Gandhi did not hold any position while Nehru was alive. He remarked that the poor still revere Indira Gandhi as a goddess, praising her efforts to uplift the underprivileged through policies like bank nationalization, abolishing privy purses, and distributing land to Dalits, tribals, and weaker sections.

“Indira Gandhi made the dream of home ownership a reality for the poor by building Indiramma houses and ultimately shed her last drop of blood for the nation,” the Chief Minister stated.