HYDERABAD: Telangana Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla on Thursday said Alai-Balai embodied the spirit of unity in diversity by bringing people together irrespective of political differences. Praising Telangana’s culture and traditions, he said festivals such as Bathukamma and Bonalu reflected the state’s rich cultural heritage and collective spirit.
The Governor commended Bandaru Vijaya Lakshmi, daughter of former governor and Alai-Balai Foundation founder Bandaru Dattatreya, for carrying forward the initiative launched by her father in 2005 through the Alai-Balai Foundation. Urging the youth to use their talents to serve society, he called on people to fight drug addiction.
Bandaru Dattatreya said Alai-Balai provided a platform for people to come together beyond caste, religion and regional differences. Foundation chairperson Vijaya Lakshmi said Telangana had never bowed to injustice and had the courage to fight adharma (unrighteousness). She also highlighted the distinctive rhythm of the Telangana dappu and the vibrant energy of oggu performances.
Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria expressed concern over the damaging effects of drugs on the state’s youth. He alleged that neighbouring countries were targeting Punjab through drugs to weaken India. He said Alai-Balai brought together diverse art forms, cultural programmes and people from all walks of life, demonstrating the spirit of unity.
Former vice-president M Venkaiah Naidu said Alai-Balai was more than a festival, describing it as a living demonstration of unity in diversity and a reflection of warmth and affection transcending caste and religion.
Union Minister for Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy said secularism would continue in India as long as Hindus remained in the majority. He claimed that minorities faced fear in other countries and were unable to celebrate festivals in some places, citing African countries, the US, France and Britain.
CPI secretary and MLA Kunamneni Sambasiva Rao said Alai-Balai was not a political platform but a space where humanity transcended parties and ideologies. India’s diverse communities, castes and religions could progress only by moving forward together, he said.
Legislative Council Chairman Gutta Sukhender Reddy, Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar, former governor C H Vidyasagar Rao, Ministers Duddilla Sridhar Babu, Ponnam Prabhakar and Vivek Venkataswamy, government advisers K Keshava Rao and V Hanmantha Rao, MPs K Laxman, Konda Vishweshwar Reddy, Eatala Rajender, D K Aruna and M Raghunandan Rao, and former minister K Jana Reddy attended the event.