HYDERABAD: Tourism and Culture Minister Jupally Krishna Rao on Thursday said that this year’s Bathukamma festivities, scheduled to take place between September 21 to 30, will set a world record as the government is preparing to hold the event on a grand scale.
The minister was speaking to the media, along with TPCC chief B Mahesh Kumar Goud and former MP V Hanumantha Rao, after participating in the Bathukamma celebrations held at Gandhi Bhavan in Hyderabad.
“The government has decided to hold Bathukamma festivities from September 21 across the state on a grand style. The festivities will start from Thousand Pillars Temple in Warangal. The scale of festivities planned this year will set a Guinness World Record,” he said.
“The government is also making efforts to promote Telangana culture. As part of this plan, we will be promoting Bathukamma festival at the Hyderabad airport,” he said.
Mahesh Goud alleged that “a few people turned the festival into a political issue”. “Some people created a parody of Bathukamma songs. They should remember that Bathukamma is one of the main festivals of Telangana, and it is our tradition and culture. Using it for political purposes is wrong,” he said.
Hanumantha Rao said that due to the negligence of previous government, people could not celebrate the festival at Bathukamma Kunta. Alleging that a BRS leader had encroached upon the lake, he lauded Revanth Reddy and HYDRAA for rejuvenating Bathukamma Kunta.
Breach of protocol: CS seeks Sircilla Collector’s explanation
Hyderabad: The government seems to have taken a serious view of Sircilla Collector Sandeep Kumar Jha allegedly breaching protocol during a Praja Palana Day celebrations.
On Thursday, Chief Secretary K Ramakrishna Rao issued a notice to the Collector, seeking his explanation. He issued the notice after Vemulawada MLA and Government Whip Aadi Srinivas complained to the CS and CMO, stating that Jha had violated protocol by arriving late.
“He failed to welcome the guests as per protocol. He also missed my speech,” the MLA said in his complaint.