Telangana | Revanth in trouble after trying to tinker with state emblem

The hurried attempt to remove the images of ‘Kakatiya Kala Thoranam’ (arch) and the Charminar from the official emblem of Telangana has landed Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy in trouble. Following objections from writers, intellectuals, historians and the Bharata Rashtra Samiti (BRS), the government has deferred the move.

Revanth Reddy’s justification that he was planning to democratise the feudal visage of the logo fell flat on Thursday when he announced that the logo’s redesigning has been put on hold.

New emblem

According to him, the present emblem, approved in 2014 by his predecessor K Chandrasekhar Rao, with just ‘Kakatiya Kala Thoranam’ and Charminar doesn’t represent the multiple streams of social life of Telangana. He said the aristocratic emblem ignored the state’s rural and tribal cultures.

The logo with a golden rim embodies the Bangaru Telangana (Golden Telangana) ideal of KCR. Revanth Reddy, who defeated KCR following a bitter campaign to revive the Congress, wants to give new direction to the state and give it a visual representation in the form of a new state emblem.

The BRS, which lost power in 2023, sees this as an attempt to erase the footprints of KCR and intends to exploit the controversy by giving it an emotive twist as an affront on Telangana’s pride.

Revanth’s thinking

Addressing the Assembly in February, Revanth Reddy revealed his intention by stating that the symbols of Kakatiya and Nizam dynasties represent oppressive feudalism and were ill-suited to be a part of the icon of a democratic state.

“The Telangana people waged a bloody struggle against the Nizam’s feudal regime. Sammakka, a tribal woman, heroically fought the brutal tax system of Kakatiyas and sacrificed her life. Adaption of the symbols of these kingdoms for the emblem of a state that was achieved through sacrifices demonstrates only the psyche of the ruler,” he said, obliquely referring to KCR.

Revanth Reddy fought the 2023 November Assembly elections by dubbing KCR as feudal, dictatorial and dynastic.

Other issues

Although it was thought the chief minister was targeting KCR, there was not much opposition when he wanted to change the state acronym from TS to TG and give a commoner-like look to the statue of Mother Telangana, designed by KCR himself.

For that matter, the appointment of Andhra-origin music director MM Keeravani as composer to a state anthem could not trigger any protest as it was KCR who promoted Andhra contractors and architects.

But when Revanth Reddy branded the Kakatiya dynasty, the first Telugu kingdom on the soil of Telangana, and the Nizam rule as feudal and oppressive states, hell broke loose.

Massive objections

Thirteen writers from Telangana Rachayitala Sangham in an open letter to the chief minister urged him not to remove the Kakatiaya Arch and Charminar from the state emblem as they represent a rich cultural heritage of the state.

Advising the government to incorporate the martyrs’ memorial to the existing emblem, the writers, including Dr Nandini Siddha Reddy, Dr Kasula Lingareddy and Prof Katyayani Vidmahe, rejected the portrayal of Kakatiya and Nizam dynasties as oppressive regimes.

“Kakatiyas’ contribution to the development of irrigation by constructing interconnected tanks that harvest rain water is well known. These tanks were well-preserved during Kutub Shahi and Nizam rulers as well. KCR repaired many of them. Kakatiya Thoranam does not possess any signs of feudalism. Similarly, Charminar was built in the memory of thousands of people who died due to plague 400 years ago,” they said, cautioning the chief minister not to pave the path for another people’s movement in Telangana.

Historian's take

Adapa Satyanarayana, a retired history professor from Osmania University, Hyderabad, also disagreed with the view that Kakatiya Thoranam and Charminar were symbols of feudalism. “Historical structures erected by dynasties represent the regional identity. They cannot be brushed as anti-people. Instead of totally removing them, the government can integrate them with the cultural elements that remain unrepresented in the emblem.”

A Vinayaka Reddy, a former professor from Kakatiya University, Warangal, felt that chief minister Revanth Reddy is taking decisions without wider consultations -- like KCR in 2014 while deciding the features of the logo. “If Revanth wants to give representation to the Telangana armed struggle and Sammakka and Sarakka, it is welcome. But removing the Kakatiaya and Kutub Shahi symbols is wrong,” Reddy said. “If he follows in the footsteps of KCR, it is bound to invite the people’s wrath.”

Defending Revanth

On the other hand, Professor M Kodandaram, MLC and an associate of Revanth Reddy, said the chief minister was trying to incorporate what was missing in the logo. “Many intellectuals opposed the logo designed in 2014 at the behest of KCR as it has only two symbols representing only two facets of history. Many aspects such as tribal culture and rural ways of life did not find a place in it. Finding the logo inadequate, the chief minister wants to make it more representative after wider consultation,” Kodandram said.

M V Ramana Reddy, the designer of the Martyr’s memorial built by the KCR government, recalled how Charminar, which was absent in the first logo approved by KCR, found place only at the request of the AIMIM party.

BRS warning

Meanwhile, BRS working president KT Ramarao (KTR), who led a protest at Charminar in Hyderabad on Thursday, warned the government of a state-wide movement if it goes ahead with the plan to tinker with the features of the logo and Telangana Talli.

However, the Congress slammed BRS by stating KTR and BRS were trying to divert people’s attention from the telephone tapping issue in which KTR and his father KCR were involved. “What else could it be other than diversionary tactics? No decision has been taken so far to remove the Kakatiya Thoranam and Charminar from the state emblem,” said Md Ali Shabbir, a Congress leader and advisor to Telangana.

On the other side, the State anthem Jaya Jayahe Telangana written by singer Andhesri and composed by MM Keeravani has been approved by the government removing the stanzas pertaining to the Kakatiyas and Golconda kingdoms. The Anthem is expected to be released on June 2, on the occasion of state formation day.