After assuming power, the Congress government announced plans to modify the Telangana Thalli statue and the State emblem. The move sparked controversy, with many questioning its necessity. In response, the government formed a cabinet subcommittee to gather suggestions from various groups and provide recommendations.
Updated On – 20 November 2024, 10:28 PM
Hyderabad: When the Congress came to power a year ago, at least those who voted for them might have expected them to try and match the performance of the previous BRS government. However, over the last one year, Telangana has seen complaints of broken promises, allegations of scams involving even the Chief Minister, disappointment among multiple sections of the society and subsequent protests, including even by the uniformed force. As if these were not enough, almost every initiative launched by the Congress government in the last 11 months has met with stiff opposition.
Soon after coming to power, the Congress government had announced that changes would be introduced in Telangana Thalli statue and the State emblem. A row broke out immediately, with many questioning the need to make the change, forcing the government to constitute a cabinet subcommittee to seek suggestions from different sections and make its recommendations.
Pharma City
This was followed with the announcement that the Pharma City at Mucherla was scrapped and in its place, 10 Pharma Villages were proposed. However, when the High Court sought the government’s clarification on the project in September, the State government claimed that the project was still on, despite legal challenges.
The pharma villages are being opposed by many, including farmers in Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s Kodangal constituency. The protests, which saw Congress leaders being locked up by villagers during a public hearing programme in Dudyala mandal, have reached the Lagacherla episode. Farmers in Dappur, Vaddy and Malgi of Nyalkal mandal in Sangareddy are also up in arms against the establishment of Pharma Village.
HYDRAA
Just when things were getting streamlined, the government announced the establishment of Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Protection Agency (HYDRAA). Since day one, HYDRAA has been in the news for all wrong reasons, including its legality. The government had to issue an ordinance to extend legal backing for the agency.
The demolitions of unauthorized structures in lake areas and at other places by HYDRAA triggered unrest among people. Many, including former Congress MP Pallam Raju questioned the HYDRAA’s selective demolitions in gross violation of rules. Even the High Court pulled up HYDRAA and instructed the agency to mend its ways and follow rules and regulations.
Musi Demolitions
Along with HYDRAA, the Musi Riverfront Development Project too came into the picture. Even before the Detailed Project Report (DPR) was prepared, the State government marked and demolished houses along the riverbed in different areas, evoking strong protests from residents and every other political party. Such was the opposition over the demolitions that the affected residents approached the BRS to save them and demanded the State government to withdraw the project.
Echoing similar opinions, experts and voluntary organisations wanted the government to address the core issues of addressing the flow of murky water into the river by setting up more STPs. Apart from BRS, all the other parties, including the Left parties, which are in alliance with the Congress, found fault with the government for demolishing houses of the poor.
The State government’s move to rope in Singapore-based Meinhardt as one of the consortium for preparing the DPR too set off verbal duels between the Congress and BRS as the company was allegedly involved in different controversies.
Caste census
Though the Congress government launched the caste census, people are raising objections over the questions being asked as part of the survey. Many people are finding fault with the government for seeking personal details and are desisting from sharing such details. Many are even questioning the enumerators about the status of Praja Palana applications that were collected in December last.
New Zoo Park
Another ill-thought move of establishing a new Zoo Park on the city outskirts in addition to the existing Nehru Zoological Park raised many questions on the government’s intentions, considering the financial constraints in taking up the project.
Opposing the government’s move firmly, Forum for Good Governance wanted the Chief Minister to focus on health and education sectors that were crippled in the State rather than establishing a new zoo park.
Secretariat
After having criticized the previous government, the Congress government is now taking up a few changes at the Secretariat due to Vastu constraints.
The main entrance of the Secretariat has been locked up and the Chief Minister is now using the North East Gate to enter the complex. More so, there are plans to relocate the Bahubali Gate to the North East end and lay a new road from Gate 2 to Gate 4.
Former Minister T Harish Rao slammed the Chief Minister for the changes at the Secretariat. “When the past government constructed the Secretariat with fire safety norms and green technology, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy had criticized the government for focusing on Vastu. But the same Chief Minister is now making frequent changes at the Secretariat for Vastu compliance,” Harish Rao said,
Rajiv Gandhi statue
Last but not the least, the Congress government’s move to establish former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s statue in front of Telangana Martyrs Memorial and opposite to Secretariat, failed to impress even the Gandhi family. As a result none of the Gandhi family members participated in the statue unveiling ceremony on September 17. The BRS has also declared that the statue would be relocated to another place when the party returned to power.