Charminar icon kicks up a row
Hyderabad: The proposed inclusion of the picture of Charminar in the official emblem of the new State of Telangana has kicked off a controversy with BJP raising strong objections to such a move.
The proposal is supposed to have been mooted by the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi when he met Chief Minister-designate K Chandrasekhar Rao recently.
Though the decision on the official emblem of Telangana State has not been taken, there were reports suggesting that that the TRS chief had readily agreed to the MIM suggestion to incorporate Charminar, an iconic symbol of the city, in the insignia of Telangana State.
The official emblem highlights the historical and cultural significance of a particular State. Earlier, there were various suggestions for the official logo of the Telangana State, incorporating Kakatiya Thoranam of Warangal or Telangana Thalli.
However, the BJP leaders argued that the MIM had no role either in the formation of Telangana State or in the agitation and hence they should not be allowed to have any say on what the symbol of the new State should be.
'Where was MIM when the people of Telangana were fighting for separate Telangana?' questioned the Telangana State BJP president G Kishan Reddy. The MIM had opposed the formation of Telangana State both within and outside the legislative bodies, he pointed out.
The MIM had pitched for united AP. They had even wanted Rayala Telangana to be formed if the Union government desired to divide the State.
'How can the TRS forge alliance with anti-Telangana party like MIM?' Kishan Reddy wondered. A BJP leader reminded that Asaduddin's father late Salahuddin Owaisi was also opposed to the demand for separate Telangana State.
The BJP leaders said that the government should not decide on its own but should take public opinion before finalizing the logo. 'The views of people of Telangana, officials, employees, agitators, who took part in the agitation and all stake holders should be taken into consideration,' Kishan Reddy said.
TRS leader N Narasimha Reddy said that nothing had been finalised on the logo issue and there was no need for any controversy over the issue.
'Our party president will decide after taking views from all sections of people,' he said. The Telangana JAC, however, did not want to be dragged into the controversy.
JAC chairman Prof M Kodandaram said 'The logo should be decided by forming a committee, which should include artists and the government.'
News Posted: 25 May, 2014
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