CM Revanth Reddy’s Shocking Remark On Indira Canteen Name Row Sparks Outrage: Says Protestors Must Be ‘Stripped and Thrashed’

Telangana: Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Friday lashed out at the protestors opposing the renaming of the Annapurna Canteen to Indira Canteen, calling them “senseless people” and saying they would not understand the greatness of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi “until and unless they are stripped and thrashed.”   

Defending the Congress government’s decision, Reddy said, 

“Welfare and development launched by Indira Gandhi is enlightening the lives of the poor and that’s the reason we are making welfare schemes after Indira Gandhi.” 

He added,

 “In Hyderabad to provide a meal for RS 5 to the poor and even provide them breakfast we have named canteens after Indira Gandhi.” 

Referring to the protests, Reddy said, 

 “These senseless people staged a protest for naming canteens after Indira Gandhi. They will not understand the greatness of Indira Gandhi until and unless they are stripped and thrashed.”

Annapurna Canteen Name Change Protest

The remarks came amid protests by Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Party corporators who staged a demonstration at the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) office on Saturday, condemning the decision to change the name of the popular Annapurna Canteen to Indira (Indiramma) Canteen. The Congress government's decision to rename the canteens has sparked controversy in Telangana, with the protesters demanding that GHMC revert to the original name, citing its cultural and symbolic significance. 

The BRS corporators alleged that the decision to rename the canteens was taken without any valid reason, pointing out that there were no improvements or additions to the services provided at the canteens. They also claimed that despite the demonstration being peaceful, the police were rude and restrictive in handling the protest.

Speaking to ANI, corporator Sindhu Reddy said, “We are protesting here at the GHMC office because they have changed the name of the Annapurna canteen. They did not add any extra curries or counters, but changed its name to Indiramma canteen. We demand that they change the name back to Annapurna because it means Goddess of food, which is why KCR put this name... The police are very rude and are not allowing us to do the protest, while we came here for a peaceful demonstration.”

Corporator Kavitha also told ANI, “BRS government named this canteen Annapurna and it should not be changed... Indira canteen is not the right word... We are demanding that the decision be taken back.”

The Annapurna Canteen Scheme, launched by the previous BRS government, provided hot, hygienic, and nutritious meals for just Rs 5 to the poor, daily wage workers, and labourers in urban regions of Telangana.

BRS leader Krishank also criticised the Congress government, stating that it should focus on fulfilling promises rather than changing names. He said the Congress government under Revanth Reddy had failed to bring in new schemes and pointed out that the name change was purely election-driven.

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