Telangana's ruling Congress party waded into choppy waters by wanting to change the existing state emblem. The attempt has invited opposition from not just political corners but also from a section of minorities.
Telangana's existing state emblem, formalised by the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), featured images of the Charminar and an arch popularized by the Kakatiya rulers, aiming to showcase the history and composite culture of Hyderabad and Telangana. However, the Revanth Reddy government, which entered office in December, has labelled the design a symbol of monarchy. The Congress wants to come up with an emblem that will represent the spirit of the Telangana struggle and martyrdom.
The controversy erupted at a time when Congress was trying to get closer to the minorities. The main opposition party, BRS, seized the moment and amplified its protest by taking to the streets of Hyderabad’s old city. BRS working president and former IT minister, KT Rama Rao, staged a protest near Charminar. This move is seen as a strategic one aimed at winning back the favor of the minorities, who had solidly rallied behind the party for years but have recently been drifting towards the Congress, as inferred from the last Assembly elections.
AIMIM party leader and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi also demanded that the Congress government retain the image of Charminar in the state’s emblem. On social media, many users have expressed their displeasure over the government move.
A Twitter user named Khanzada tweeted to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, “Feeling very sad and disrespected after removing Charminar from state emblem, never expected this from secular Congress govt to whom 91% Muslims voted in the state, such a disgrace to people of Telangana… Rahul Gandhi ji plz add Charminar in state emblem…”
The Congress party was forced to backtrack after many also objected to the proposed omission of the arch symbolizing Kakatiya rulers' architecture. The party has now postponed the unveiling of the new emblem as the issue is gaining momentum and is working against it.
