Chiru wants to rebuild Tank Bund statues

Condemning the desecration and razing of statues of eminent Telugu luminaries on the Tank Bund by pro-Telangana activists during the Million March on Thursday, Praja Rajyam Party president K Chiranjeevi on Friday described the incident as a `Black Day’ in the history of Andhra Pradesh.

Talking to media persons after inspecting the damaged statues, the PRP president demanded that the state government reinstall the statues pulled down or damaged by the pro-Telangana activists. “If the state government is unwilling to do so, I will do it with my own money as they represent our Telugu culture and tradition,” the PRP chief stated.

The actor-turned-politician added, “It is a great insult to our culture damaging the statues of our great leaders.” He took serious objection of the Telangana activists resorting to violence against Congress MPs and torching of vehicles.

Mr Chiranjeevi also condemned the attack on journalists and torching of media vans and destruction of their cameras. The PRP chief demanded strict action against the guilty. The PRP president’s visit to inspect the destruction on Tank Bund was obstructed by pro-Telangana activists who blocked his convoy. The activists, raising ‘Jai Telangana’ slogans, surrounded his car and told him to leave the place. They also termed Mr Chiranjeevi as traitor of Telangana.

Raising slogans against the PRP chief who is opposed to bifurcation of the state, the activists entered into heated arguments with Mr Chiranjeevi. However, the police came to the spot and dispersed the activists by resorting to a lathi-charge.