HYDERABAD: The BRS Anniversary celebrations were held with great enthusiasm at Elkathurthi in Hanamkonda district. The event commenced with BRS chief K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) paying tribute to those killed in the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.
In his address, KCR stated that there is no paradise greater than one’s mother and birthplace. He lauded the land of Warangal as a historic soil that has produced countless brave heroes, expressing his joy at holding the BRS event there. He reminded the gathering that exactly twenty-five years ago, on this day, the pink flag was first hoisted.
KCR recalled that many had once mocked the pink flag, but he and his team never gave in to despair. Through relentless struggle, they achieved the formation of Telangana state. He reminded everyone of his pledge to party workers that the flag would never be lowered and that if it ever was, he should be stoned. True to his word, he said, the flag remained high throughout the struggle, despite facing mortal threats.
Highlighting the state’s progress, KCR said they brought light to Telangana by removing the darkness of oppression. He emphasised that Telangana was freed from colonial forces and steered towards development. He mentioned the completion of several irrigation projects, notably the Kaleshwaram Project within just three years, and how Telangana’s agricultural production has even surpassed Punjab’s.
KCR further pointed to major welfare initiatives like Dalit Bandhu, Rythu Bandhu, Mission Kakatiya, Mission Bhagiratha, and Rythu Bima, which he said have transformed the lives of people across different communities. He accused the Congress Party of having inflicted decades of suffering on the people of Telangana during its sixty years of rule, calling it the state’s greatest enemy — past, present, and future.
Recalling the early days of the Telangana movement, KCR reminded the crowd that the Indira Gandhi-led government had once ordered police to open fire on protesters. He warned that with Congress now back in power in the state, the people must remain vigilant.