Former PM Vajpayee’s statue to be unveiled on September 17 in Cantonment Park

Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s statue is to be unveiled in Cantonment Park on the occasion of the Central government celebrating the Telangana/Hyderabad Liberation Day at the Parade Grounds on September 17.

Telangana BJP president N. Ramchander Rao told a party preparatory meeting held at the city office on Saturday that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will be the chief guest for the function and will also unfurl the national flag.

Fellow Union Cabinet colleagues G. Kishan Reddy (Coal & Mines), Gajendra Singh Shekawath (Tourism & Culture), Bandi Sanjay Kumar (Minister of State for Home), a few Ministers of the Maharashtra government and other leaders will also be participating.

Mr. Rao pointed out that Union Home Minister Amit Shah has been the chief guest during 2022 and 2023. Last year, Mr. Kishan Reddy did the honours. Freedom fighters are to be felicitated on the occasion, and a photo exhibition depicting the armed struggle against the Nizam will also be facilitated during the event.

From the governments in the combined Andhra Pradesh to the erstwhile BRS government and the present Congress government, after the formation of Telangana, have not been celebrating the Liberation Day officially. The BJP has been fighting for the cause for years, demanding an official event. Finally, the NDA government at the Centre had decided to celebrate the event from 2020 onwards officially with a march past by central security forces and cultural shows, he said.

The BJP chief sought the support of various wings for making the event a big success. Mr. Kishan Reddy, general secretary Kasam Venkateshwarlu and others were present. The party will also be celebrating Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday on the same day till October 2 with programmes like saplings plantation, blood donation camps and others.