HYDERABAD: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Monday officially announced yet another state symbol - Telangana Talli statue - in the Legislative Assembly.
In a detailed statement he issued in the House, the CM justified the design of the Telangana Talli statue, its posture, colours and symbols.
He said that the latest state symbol - Telangana Talli - is not merely a statue but an embodiment of “emotion, self-esteem, and existence”.
The chief minister’s announcement comes in line with the proclamation of the state’s anthem, and replacing TS with TG in all official communications.
His announcement coincided with the day when the then Union home minister P Chidam-baram made the announcement on the formation of a separate Telangana state in 2009. In 2013, Sonia Gandhi, in her capacity as UPA chairperson, approved the state formation.
Revanth Reddy said: “I extend my birthday wishes to Sonia Gandhi from the Assembly. We need to express our gratitude to her. Hence, I request all the MLAs to extend wishes to her,” the CM said.
The state government also decided to observe December 9 every year as “Telangana Talli Formation Day”.
The chief minister said that for Telangana, whose formation was the culmination of a social movement spanning over six decades, there was no symbol until the formation of separate state.
He said that he was fulfilling the aspirations of people by declaring state symbols one after the other.
The announcement of unveiling of Telangana Talli statue will be etched in people’s memory for ever, the chief minister said.
“In the fight for separate statehood, Telangana Talli has united all the people and directed them to achieve statehood. Our ‘Praja Prabhutvam’ (people’s government) has decided to honour every Telangana woman as mother, and install her statue at the state Secretariat. In designing the state, elements of Telangana’s culture and tradition were incorporated,” the CM added.
He urged all the political parties, civil society organisations and individuals to set aside political differences and come forward to show the strength of Telangana during the unveiling ceremony of Telangana Talli statue.
Following the statement of the chief minister, the state government released a GO wide GOMS No: 1946, endorsing the Telangana Talli statue and “formation of Telangana Talli Day”.
The GO also has the colour photograph with the following description: “Telangana Talli is a traditional woman, with pleasant face, draped in green saree with a zari border, necklet, beaded chain, bangles, anklets, earrings and nose pin. She is a middle aged woman personifying dignity, holding paddy, maize and pearl millet sheaves.”
It further read that the Telangana Talli stands for existence, and self-respect without any distortion or any attempts at wrong portrayal.
According to the GO, misrepresentation or insulting the statue in any form is a punishable offence.