With eyes on Assembly polls, KCR plans grand Telangana formation day fete

Hyderabad, May 14 (IANS) With Telangana Assembly elections only a few months away, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government has drawn big plans to celebrate 10th year of Telangana state formation in a grand manner, highlighting the progress made by India's youngest state.

In what is being seen as an attempt to draw political mileage in the run-up to the polls, the BRS has decided to organise Formation Day celebrations for 21 days beginning from June 2.

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, at a high-level meeting on Saturday, decided to organise the celebrations with full grandeur and a great fervour from the village level to the state capital Hyderabad.

The move is significant as opposition parties have been attacking CM KCR ever since he changed the name of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) to Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS).

BJP, which is projecting itself as the only viable alternative, had slammed KCR for removing Telangana from the party's name.

Political analysts say that to counter the opposition attack and highlight the message that the party has not forgotten the Telangana movement and sacrifices of the martyrs, KCR decided to organise the celebrations for three weeks.

As part of the celebrations, one day will be celebrated as 'Martyr's Day' to commemorate the sacrifices of the Telangana martyrs.

At the meeting, KCR realled that Telangana state was achieved through protracted struggle. He claimed that the state now stands as a role model for the entire country in the administration.

He announced that celebrations will be organised in a festive atmosphere in tune with the aspirations of the Telangana community so that the glory of the state will spread to every corner and every heart is filled with excitement.

The first day of the celebrations will begin at the BR Ambedkar Telangana Secretariat under the leadership of CM KCR. On the same day, state Ministers will organise the state formation day programmes in their respective district centers.

"The Telangana state was formed after a lot of struggles and hardships. The state of Telangana is the youngest state in the country. With the combined efforts of the people's representatives and the government machinery, today Telangana is achieving excellent results in all fields and is continuing its progress.

"Telangana has become a role model for the country. The other states are surprised to see our progress. Leaders and people of Maharashtra and other Northern states were also surprised to hear and see the progress Telangana state is making. We are registering wonderful progress in all fields," said KCR.

On the occasion of Martyrs' Memorial Day, Martyrs' Memorials across the state will be decorated with flowers and illuminated with lights. Tributes will be paid to them in every village .

National flag will be hoisted and the police will formally salute the martyrs by firing guns.

Collectors of all districts will participate in the Martyrs Day events. All government departments will also take part in the commemoration of martyrs programmes.

Various departments will screen the development achieved through documentaries. The departments will be allotted different days to screen documentaries

Considering the day allotted to the electricity department as 'Power Day', the entire day will be celebrated as Electricity Day with a documentary presentation about the achievements of the Energy Department and other information. Similarly, Water Day will highlight the progress made in irrigation, drinking water and development of water resources.

A special Welfare Day will be held on a special day. Special campaigna through media on welfare activities implemented by the state government for the poor communities, including SC ST BC minority women, the implementation of Dalit Bandhu, the unveiling of the 125-ft statue of Dr. BR Ambedkar, naming the secretariat after Ambedkar will be organised .

A documentary on the first phase and second phase Telangana movement in independent India and the achievement of Telangana state will also be produced.

Another documentary will be made to explain about the progress made by Telangana as a state and the self rule started from June 2, 2014 to June 2, 2023.

Traditional food festivals, Games, Kavi Sammelanams (gathering of poets), Astavadhanas, performances by folk and other musicians, cinema folk and other cultural programmes will be organised .