Even as the news of Hyderabad serial blasts was whispered in hushed tones among audience, chief minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy maintained a stiff upper lip through a prolonged session on celebration of Telugu culture at Ravindra Bharati on International Mother Language Day declared by UNESCO on Thursday.
Halfway through his address, Reddy confirmed the worst fears of the audience, after pledging to promote Telugu as an official language and enhance allocations in the coming budget to carry on the legacy of Telugu culture.
“Some of you might be already aware that serial bomb blasts rocked the city today. The state will remain strong in the face of the attacks and we will not be shaken,” Reddy said to a thundering applause before taking his leave from the celebrations to attend to his administrative duties.