Chief Minister Revanth Reddy unveils Rajiv Gandhi's statue

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], September 16 (ANI): Telangana's Chief Minister, A. Revanth Reddy, unveiled a statue of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on Monday, outside the state Secretariat.
In a post on X, Reddy shared, "I was fortunate to have the opportunity to unveil the statue of the late Rajiv Gandhi, the maker of modern India, in front of the State Secretariat. The history of sacrifice--sacrifice of life, sacrifice of office--belongs to the Gandhi family. The first foundations of this country... The Gandhi family laid the path to modern India. Rajiv is a role model for the youth of this country. A statue of that great man in front of the secretariat serves as a guide to the administration."
Criticising the BRS in his address, Reddy said, "I want to set the record straight amidst the uproar over the Rajiv Gandhi statue unveiling. Some political forces are making a fuss, but I'd like to remind them of their own history of amassing public money through illicit means."
"What does 'sacrifice' truly mean? It's the struggle of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who spent years in jail for India's independence. The Nehru family gave up everything for the nation's freedom. Nehru unified 563 princely states, restored peace, and initiated irrigation and education projects. The iconic Nagarjuna Sagar project was built during his tenure," the Chief Minister remarked.
Highlighting Indira Gandhi's achievements, he said, "Indira Gandhi did not take any post while Nehru was the Prime Minister. Indiramma is still worshipped as a goddess by the poor. She nationalised banks, provided housing for the poor, and abolished privy purses. She empowered backward communities and tribal groups, dedicating her life to the country and sacrificing everything."
"Rajiv Gandhi introduced voting rights for 18-year-olds, amended the constitution to empower Gram Panchayats, and reserved seats for women in local bodies. He spearheaded India's technological revolution," Reddy added, discussing the former Prime Minister's contributions.
"Congress made PV Narasimha Rao, a Telangana native, Prime Minister. We didn't loot the state like the BRS family did for 10 years. Now, they are levelling allegations of family rule," Revanth said.
Appealing to the people, Reddy asked whether it was appropriate to place a statue of Rajiv Gandhi, who sacrificed his life for the nation. "Some forces are talking about the removal of Rajiv Gandhi's statue. Those who want to remove it should try. I dare them. We're installing the Telangana Talli statue inside the State Secretariat on December 9. KCR neglected Telangana heroes like Konda Laxman Bapuji. The BRS government has been in deep slumber for 10 years," he asserted.
Reddy added that KCR did not pay his last respects to the noted Telangana fighter Konda Laxman Bapuji, who had given shelter to the BRS leader.
"The Congress government named the IIHT after Laxman Bapuji. The women's university is also named after Ilamma. The Telugu University will be named after Suravaram Prathapareddy," he said.
Frustrated after losing power, KCR is inciting some of his party leaders against the government. "The Kalakeya gang has turned into a swarm of locusts, ready to attack the villages and swallow Telangana again. KCR should respect Telangana's history, not incite violence," Reddy opined. (ANI)