Hyderabad: After much controversy, there will not be any major changes in the famous Telangana movement song/anthem Jaya Jaya Ho Telangana written by poet Ande Sri, but the T-emblem will have a new look.
Sources close to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy said the song has been finalised with minor changes while the T emblem will be different depicting the sacrifices of Telangana people in achieving the Statehood.
Jaya Jaya Ho Telangana song written by Ande Sri and several other Telangana movement songs reverberated during the T-movement led by former Chief Minister and BRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao and had become household songs.
If fact, the Telangana movement led by KCR had all the elements in its success including sacrifices by 1200 odd youth, melodious songs, unusual agitations like Vanta Varpu (cooking on the roads) besides cultural renaissance of Bathukamma, political lobbying that finally propelled T movement to its glory and finally achieved it.
The 1969 movement led by Dr M Channa Reddy was violent where over 350 students were killed and it was suppressed by the Congress government.
Minor change in song
“There will be minor changes in the Jaya Jaya Ho Telangana song. There is a lyric on 10 districts of undivided Telangana. That word will be replaced. Since I was present there, I did not find any major changes. But the Telangana emblem will have a new look and it will be appreciated by one and all,” Addanki Dayakar, INC Telangana General Secretary and senior spokesman who was present at the CM’s review meetings on the issue told Siasat.com.
He added, “There will be two songs. One has two and a half minutes and another one 13.5 seconds. The music is provided by Keeravani.”
The meetings were attended by Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Tourism Minister Jupally Krishna Rao, Poet Ande Sri, Music Director and Oscar award winner M M Keeravani, emblem designer Rudra Rajesham, Prof. Kodandaram, JAC leader Raghu, CM advisor Vem Narender Reddy and others.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy finalised the Telangana government’s official anthem and emblem and it will be released on Telangana formation day on June 2 on the occasion of T-decennial celebrations.
Sonia Gandhi invited
Revanth Reddy has planned mega Telangana State formation decennial celebrations in Hyderabad and other parts of the State and plans to invite former UPA chairperson and Congress national leader Sonia Gandhi, during whose tenure Statehood for Telangana was granted after a 14-year struggle.
KCR in an assembly session had given credit to Sonia Gandhi for granting Statehood to Telangana.
CM objects to emblem
CM has been harping that the present Telangana emblem designed by artist Laxman Aelay and adopted on June 2, 2014, by the TRS government headed by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao reflected “kingship or monarchical reflections” against Telangana struggle against dictatorial rule. It did not reflect the sacrifices of Telangana people, especially youth.
Major changes taken
Ever since Revanth Reddy romped home to power, he undertook some major changes including replacing the Telangana State abbreviation from TS to TG in the registration of motor vehicles, official letterheads, etc.
Revanth Reddy did not occupy the official residence of CM Praja Bhavan and changed its name to Jyoti Rao Phule Praja Bhavan in Punjagutta, Hyderabad Rythu Bandhu was changed to Rythu Bharosa, etc.
KCR, Ande Sri differences
KCR planned to adopt “Jaya Jaya Ho Telangana” as the State song, but it was put on the back burner due to an alleged credit issue with Ande Sri. Ande Sri, who was asked to pen the song, did it but KCR made some changes.
Those close to the subject said that KCR wanted some more changes but Ande Sri put his foot down and distanced himself with ex-CM. There is also a talk that KCR wanted to take credit for the song, but Ande Sri rejected it. The poet fell out with KCR and has now become close to Revanth Reddy.
The new state emblem and Telangana state song would be released during the decennial celebrations of Telangana state formation on June 2. Sonia Gandhi is likely to participate as chief guest at a grand event in Secunderabad.
“Telangana’s new emblem and anthem will reflect the spirit of the State and its people, the sacrifices of youth, etc. The emblem will not include the Kakatiya Thoranam, but will symbolise the Sammakka-Sarakka and Nagoba Jataras, representing the struggles and sacrifices of people of Telangana,” CM said.
Present emblem background
It might be recalled that noted Telangana artist Laxman Aelay designed the Telangana logo/emblem on the instructions of then CM Chandrasekhar Rao. Initially, the TRS logo had only the Kakatiya arch, but on the suggestion of MIM supremo Asaduddin Owaisi, Charminar was included. Then BJP president G Kishan Reddy objected to it, but KCR ignored him. The artist took four days to prepare the logo. “Like the fabled Ganga Jamuni Tehzeeb (composite culture), the logo is a cultural mix of the iconic Kakatiya Kala Thoranam of Kakatiya Dynasty and the over 400-year-old Charminar of Hyderabad in addition to the Ashoka emblem.
BRS objections
However, Revanth Reddy’s decision to change the song and emblem is strongly objected to by BRS leaders.
Former Minister and BRS working president K T Rama Rao in a tweet said “Our Warangal leaders are protesting against the government decision to remove the renowned Kakatiya Kala Thoranam from the State logo. This is just the beginning.”
In another tweet, he said, “World over Charminar has been the icon/symbol of Hyderabad for centuries.
When one thinks of Hyderabad, one cannot but think of Charminar which has all the qualities of a UNESCO World Heritage site. Now the Congress government wants to remove the iconic Charminar from the State logo citing frivolous reasons. What a shame!!”
There was a suggestion from political leaders that the Chief Minister ought to have invited an all-party meeting to discuss the changes in true democratic spirit, but he is following KCR in spirit.
