HYDERABAD: Setting the tone for Dasara festivities, women, dressed in their best, danced to the songs of Bathukamma, from villages to cities across the State on Monday. The floral festival spread the fragrance of a variety of flowers - from tangedu to marigold - bringing in much-needed optimism among every section of the society, including the farming community to some extent. The State government declared a holiday to enable people to participate in the ‘celebration of life’ and released funds for beautification of important installations in the State.
Telangana Jagruthi, headed by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s daughter and Nizamabad MP K Kavitha, spearheaded the festivities. Kicking off the celebrations at Narsampet in Warangal district, Kavitha said it will take some time for the realisation of ‘Bangaru Telangana’ (Golden Telangana) and sought to dispel the pall of gloom that has enveloped the farming community. Notwithstanding her words, the festive air was conspicuous by its absence at villages, where there have been suicides of farmers in the last few months.
In the State capital, family members of ministers participated in the festivities at the ministers’ quarters. All the government departments too joined in on the directions of the government. However, the opposition parties took Telangana Jagruthi to task for monopolising the festival.
“Kavitha is giving the impression that it is she and the TRS, who have brought Bathukamma festival to the state. Bathukamma is an integral part of Telangana,’’ TTDP women’s wing president B Shobha Rani said and questioned the rationale behind the government’s spending spree on Bathukamma at a time when farmers were committing suicide. Congress MLC Akula Lalitha alleged that Kavitha was trying to derive political mileage.
Former Nizamabad MP Madhu Yashki Goud said the `10-crore allotted to the fest should have been spent for farmers’ welfare.