Telangana celebrated its tenth Formation Day with three separate official functions as Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao initiated the state’s decennial celebrations on a grand note while governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan, who does not share the best of relations with the state government, chose to commemorate the day with a programme at Raj Bhavan felicitating the agitators of 1,969 statehood protests.
Not to be outdone the Central government too organised a separate programme for the first time with Union Minister for Tourism and BJP leader G Kishan Reddy hoisting the tricolour with the majestic walls of Golconda Fort serving as the backdrop. All three political parties – the BRS, the BJP and the Congress – bickered while claiming credit for achieving statehood for Telangana after decades of struggle by people from all walks of life.
On Friday, addressing a meeting at the new Secretariat, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao became nostalgic as he recalled the day when Telangana achieved statehood in 2014.
“I made a promise as the chief minister of the state in the meeting held at Parade Ground on 2 June, 2014. On that day I assured the people that I would shape Telangana in such a way that the nation would learn from our state and it would be a benchmark for rest of India,” said Rao, popularly known as KCR, since the days he led the second phase of Telangana agitation.
He said his motto for the welfare schemes was simple. “Let’s create wealth and share it with the people. This had ushered in Telangana’s golden age,” he said.
He pointed out that the per capita income, which was Rs 1.24 lakh in 2014, has risen to Rs3.17 lakh. The state’s GSDP increased from Rs 5,05,849 crore to 12,93,469 crore. Telangana also recorded a 155 per cent growth despite the setbacks due to the pandemic and the demonetisation.
However, the Opposition was not impressed and Union minister G Kishan Reddy took the opportunity to slam KCR while initiating the two-day long programme to mark the state’s formation day at Golconda Fort. He alleged that Telangana has turned into a slave of one family.
Reddy further said that Telangana was not achieved because of one or two individuals but due to the mass agitation. He claimed the state was formed with the support of BJP which was in Opposition. “This is not the Telangana that the martyrs had dreamt of and the state government did not work to realize those dreams,” said Reddy.
Meanwhile, Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan declined to comment whether she was invited to the state government’s programme. At a separate programme at the Raj Bhavan Dr Soundararajan chose to felicitate those who had participated in the agitation for statehood in 1969, the phase of the agitation devoid of KCR’s long shadow. “I am not going to comment on whether the invitation was extended or not. I am with the people of Telangana and the people of Telangana are also with me,” she said.