Chief Minister Revanth Reddy faced criticism for failing to honor Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, the Father of the Indian Constitution, on his 133rd death anniversary, observed on April 14.
In a letter addressed to the chief minister, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader Dr. Dasoju Sravan Kumar questioned Revanth's 'failure' to pay respects to Ambedkar by garlanding his statue, which is considered the largest in the country.
Accusing the Congress government of 'intentionally' disregarding the constitutional obligation, Kumar blamed Revanth for engaging in petty politics at the expense of fundamental civic duties outlined in the Constitution.
"How could you, Revanth Reddy, and your government disrespect Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, our national hero? Would you have committed the same disgraceful act of dishonoring him if he were not a Dalit? Your disrespectful behavior towards Dr. B. R. Ambedkar only reflects your upper-class arrogance and feudal dominance," read the letter.
Located near Hussain Sagar Lake in the heart of the city, the 125-foot statue was unveiled by BRS leader and former Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao a year ago on Ambedkar’s birth anniversary.
"Just because Dr. B. R. Ambedkar’s statue was erected and unveiled by KCR, you have chosen to ignore and disrespect it for political reasons. However, your government's deliberate neglect, failure to adorn, and even refusal to garland the world's largest statue not only insult Dr. B. R. Ambedkar but also offend every citizen of Telangana and every Ambedkarite across the nation. Your narrow-mindedness and vindictive politics in this matter have brought great shame and diminished the stature of the Chief Minister," Kumar’s letter emphasized.
Demanding an unconditional apology from Revanth Reddy and the Congress state government, Kumar recalled senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's praises for Ambedkar in his election campaigns and tours.
"I have heard Rahul Gandhi speak highly about social justice and echo Ambedkar's ideals in his speeches, while your words and actions consistently contradict those sentiments. Why are these ideological inconsistencies and glaring hypocrisy being tolerated?" the letter questioned.