Siasat.com/Featured News/TG wakes up from
slumber, declares parcels of land in Madhapur, Serilingampally, its own
TG wakes up from slumber, declares parcels of land in
Madhapur, Serilingampally, its own
C
R Gowri Shanker Follow on Twitter| Published:
29th March 2025 1:29 pm
Siasat.com/News/Telangana/Telangana: Many MLC
contestants distribute wine, cash, and gifts to voters
Telangana: Many MLC contestants distribute wine, cash, and gifts to voters
Hyderabad: Cash, sarees, gifts, wine and dine.
A disturbing trend has emerged in the just concluded
elections to graduates and teachers’ constituencies in Telangana State.
While elections are becoming expensive, a new trend of
distribution of cash, sarees, liquor, and other luxuries has emerged in the
recent elections for two teacher’s constituencies of the MLC elections and one
graduate’s segment.
These constituencies are where only teachers and graduates
respectively are eligible to vote.
In all, 56 candidates contested elections in the
Medak-Nizamabad-Adilabad-Karimnagar graduates’ constituency and 15 candidates
in the teachers’ segment. In Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda teachers’ constituency
poll, 19 candidates tried their luck.
Gifts galore
A source connected to the PR of elections revealed that some
candidates gave away gifts to voters in cash ranging from Rs 1000 to Rs 3000
for males, besides Teacher’s whisky bottle, etc., while some women voters were
provided pooja material, silver Kumkum Bharani, pattu/silk sarees.
Of course, dawat (parties) is a daily norm where liquor,
biryani and other choicest food flowed uninterruptedly.
“After political parties openly backed candidates and chose
financially strong candidates, this is the result. The problem is no one is
complaining, hence it has been pushed under the carpet. While we blame the
costly general elections, the local bodies’ elections, panchayat elections and
now teachers, graduates’ election expenditure has hit the roof,” a PR manager
told Siasat.com.
He added, “The distribution of money/gifts was done
area-wise and it was ensured no one was missed the freebies.”
A Congress leader said on an average a candidate spent about
Rs 2 crore to Rs 3 crore, in one case Rs 5 crore. “It’s more to do with status
and a stepping stone for a future big role in politics. I haven’t seen this
kind of spending in the past. Spending in elections is going up in every
election. Newer elements are infused in tune with the demand.”
Regular persons cannot contest
Adds a BJP leader, “Ordinary leaders cannot contest
elections now. You need money and manpower. When there are no complaints,
nothing could be done. But the moot point is people are looking alternatively
towards BJP in Telangana State and the future is bright for BJP in the State.”
As many as 499 polling stations have been set up for the
Medak-Nizamabad-Adilabad-Karimnagar graduates’ constituency to facilitate
3,55,159 electorate to exercise their franchise.
About 1,200 ballot boxes, including 600 jumbo boxes, were
used in the election. Similarly 274 polling stations have been set up for the
Medak-Nizamabad-Adilabad-Karimnagar Teachers’ constituency poll, where 658
ballot boxes were used to help 27,088 teachers exercise their franchise.
In all, 480 ballot boxes were used at 200 polling stations
in the Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda teachers’ constituency where 25,797 voters
used their voting rights.
Congress receives drubbing
Of course, politically it was a wake-up call for the ruling
Congress led by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy as opposition BJP backed
candidates bagged two seats while one seat was won by the Teachers’ union. BRS
stayed away from the polls.
In the Medak-Nizamabad-Karimnagar-Adilabad teachers’ MLC
election, BJP’s Malka Komaraiah won, while PRTU candidate Pingili Sripal Reddy
triumphed in the Nalgonda Warangal-Khammam teachers’ seat, defeating sitting
MLC Alugubelli Narsi Reddy of the United Teachers Federation.
There were allegations of tickets being sold to “realtors”
more than the “teachers” during the election process.
Komaraiah is an educationist and businessman. He had earlier
sought a BJP ticket for the Malkajgiri Lok Sabha seat, but the seat was given
to Eatala Rajender. He owns Delhi Public School branches in Nadergul, Mahendra
Hills, Nacharam, and several other educational institutions under the Pallavi
Group.
His assets, including those of his wife, were valued at Rs
38.4 crore movable and Rs 23.2 crore immovable properties. Other candidates too
are cash rich.
While election officials and police have kept an eye to
ensure peaceful conduct of polls, the massive gifts eluded the prying eyes.
Siasat.com/Featured News/Kumbh Mela: A spiritual journey from across India
Kumbh Mela: A spiritual journey from across India
Notwithstanding some tragic incidents, lakhs of devout especially from Southern states of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka visited the 45-day Kumbh Mela by cars, trains, buses and flights and ensured they had a holy dip in the famed Triveni Sangam, a confluence of three rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati.
Follow on Twitter| Published: 28th February 2025 10:43 pm IST
Hyderabad: One of the world’s biggest religious
spectacles “Maha Kumbh Mela” in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh closed on Maha
Shivaratri on Wednesday.
The star-studded religious gathering attracted crores of
devotees from across India, the globe and proved to be one of the largest
religious gatherings of the century.
The next Kumbh Mela will be at Nashik in Maharashtra in 2027
and Purna Kumbh at Haridwar in Uttarakhand in 2033.
Notwithstanding some tragic incidents, lakhs of devout
especially from Southern states of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka
visited the 45-day Kumbh Mela by cars, trains, buses and flights and ensured
they had a holy dip in the famed Triveni Sangam, a confluence of three rivers
Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati.
In fact, according to those who took a dip in the holy
rivers, Telugu came in large numbers by various modes of transport, especially
by road to Prayagraj. There were a good number of IT employees, who drove on
weekends.
Telugus take a dip
“We travelled nearly 1100 km from Hyderabad, halted 4 km
from the venue, Prayagraj, and took bike rides. It was a painstaking journey.
It took two to three hours to travel a distance of one km. Bikes were the best
mode of transport while boat rides cost us Rs 600 to Rs 800 per head. Prices
vary depending on rush. But it was worth the trouble. It was a feat to be
remembered for ages,” says Chandrasekhar Patel, IT professional from Hyderabad.
Adds Harish Setty, another IT professional: “There was no
way to go by car to the river, hence opted for bikes, which was the best mode
of transport. Bikes charged Rs 100 to Rs 200, autos Rs 200 per head. It gave
locals with bikes a good business option. The rush was unprecedented. You see
people, men, women, children, old people walking with their baggage or
hitchhiking on bikes to Triveni Sangam.”
While the majority of men, women, and children had a holy
dip, some who could not make it sent their photos to get a holy dip!
Maha Kumbh Mela
The Maha Kumbh Mela, a sacred pilgrimage that is celebrated
four times over 12 years, stands as a unique embodiment of such power.
Kumbh Mela, the world’s largest gathering, draws lakhs of
pilgrims who bathe in sacred rivers seeking to purify themselves from sins and
attain spiritual liberation. This episode of Mela at Prayagraj in UP began on
January 13 and came close on February 26.
Kalpavas
Kalpavas, a period of fasting and spiritual discipline,
holds deep significance during Maha Kumbh. This year, over 10 lakh devotees
observed Kalpavas at the Triveni Sangam, concluding on Magh Purnima, with a
final holy dip, pujan, and daan. As per tradition, Kalpvasis perform
Satyanarayana Katha, Havan Puja, and offer donations to their Tirthpurohits.
The barley sown at the start of Kalpavas is immersed in the Ganga, and the
Tulsi plant is taken home as a divine blessing. The twelve-year Kalpavas cycle culminates
in Maha Kumbh, followed by a community feast in their villages.
Huge revenues, employment
Government spent Rs 7,500 crore—UP State Rs 5,400 crore and
Centre Rs 2100 crore. It is estimated the Mela may generate Rs 2 to 4 lakh
crore in revenues, benefitting all sections of traders.
Spiritual journey to four places
Kumbh devotees not only engage in a series of spiritual
rituals but also embark on an odyssey that transcends physical, cultural and
even spiritual boundaries.
The sacred Kumbh Melas rotates between four holy places of
Haridwar (Uttarakhand), Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh), Nashik (Maharashtra) and
Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh). The towns are located at the holy rivers from the
Ganga (Ganges) to the Shipra, the Godavari and the confluence of the Ganga,
Yamuna and the Saraswati in Prayagraj.
Jam-packed airport
For a change, Prayagraj airport, which used to handle modest
air traffic and passenger footfall, had to cope up with un-reconnected VVIP
aircraft and movements. The airport is currently operating an average of about
40 non-scheduled charters and private jets daily for the rich and famous, with
figures touching 70 such flights on weekends. It is over and above the average
148 scheduled commercial passenger aircraft.
The latest such record was posted on February 21 when 24,512
passengers arrived at and departed from the airport by 236 flights on a single
day, the official said. During normal times, the airport operates some 20
scheduled flights in and out, carrying less than a thousand passengers, he
said.
L to R: Suhasini, Chandrasekhar Patel, Tinku and Prasanna
Telangana and Telugu Filmdom are on the war path; industry launches its awards
In a significant move and counter to the State government’s “Gaddar Film Awards” the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce (TFCC) has decided to present its own film awards.
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy with directors, producers and actors of Telugu film industry during a meeting, in Hyderabad, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (PTI Photo)
Hyderabad: Telangana State Government and Telugu film industry bonhomie seems to have ended.
In a significant move and counter to the State government’s “Gaddar Film
Awards” named after famed balladeer and Naxal sympathiser Gaddar replacing
Nandi awards, the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce (TFCC) has decided to present
its film awards.
Telugu film industry bigwigs decided for the Telugu Cinema
Day celebrations held on Thursday (February 7), at the Telugu Film Chamber in
Hyderabad. The release of the Telugu Feature film Bhakta Prahlada on February
6, 1935, is now taken as the “birth of Telugu Cinema” and it has decided to
present film awards on that day annually.
New film flag
The film chambers also went a step further asking film
personalities to host a special flag at the homes and theatres on that day. The
film Chamber has entrusted the Flag design task to noted writer Paruchuri
Gopala Krishna.
Film Chamber President Bharat Bhushan, Actor/Realtor Murali
Mohan, writer Paruchuri Gopala Krishna, Secretary Prasanna Kumar, Directors’
Association President Veera Shankar, film journalist Rentala Jayadeva and
others were present on the occasion.
Murali Mohan said film personalities enjoy greater public
admiration than politicians. He recalled the glorious era of the Telugu film
industry, the shift from Madras to Hyderabad and the growth of Telugu cinema
over the years.
State vs. Chamber Film Awards
Chamber’s decision to present its film awards certainly
doesn’t go down well with the State government after the recent patch-up
following the Pushpa 2 film stampede episode at Sudarshan Theatre in Hyderabad
in which a woman filmgoer and serious injuries to her son. The police arrested
actor Allu Arvind, kept him behind bars overnight and later released him.
CM flays industry behaviour
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy denounced the Telugu film
industry for ignoring the stampede victim and making a beeline to the actor
Allu Arjun’s house after his release from jail after a night stay.
In a bid to mend fences, newly appointed Telangana Film
Development Corporation chairman Dil Raju, (V Venkata Ramana Reddy) organised a
meeting between the Chief Minister, his cabinet colleagues and Telugu film
actors, producers, directors to ensure a “healthy atmosphere.”
Revanth Reddy met the Telugu Film industry under the newly
formed Integrated Command Control Centre (ICCC).
While the Government side was represented by CM, Deputy CM
Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu, Cinematography Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, DGP
Jitender and senior officials, the film industry had Producers like Allu
Aravind, Daggubati Suresh, K Raghavendra Rao, Trivikram, Boyapati Srinu, and
Vamsi. There were also actors Akkineni Nagarjuna, Daggubati Venkatesh, Siddhu
Jonnalagadda, Kiran Abbavaram and others.
Meet ended on a happy note
Though the meeting ended on a happy note with both groups
promising to work in tandem for the development of the Telugu film industry,
there seems to be no consensus on the awards issue.
The Telangana government had replaced Nandi awards with
Gaddar awards. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy who made the announcement
recently said that Nandi awards were presented in United Andhra Pradesh.
“As an initiative of the Telangana government to recognise
excellence in the domains of Telugu cinema, theatre, and television, new awards
will be presented in honour of the esteemed revolutionary singer of Telangana,
Gaddar, who passed away in August last year.” CM had said.
While Congress leaders and Left welcomed CM’s decision, the
Telugu film industry maintained a muted silence.
In the undivided Andhra Pradesh, the State government
presented Nandi awards on Ugadi, the Telugu New Year’s Day. The tradition was
continued during the BRS tenure after the bifurcation of the State in 2014.
Unhappy move
The Telugu Film industry wasn’t happy over the change of
name from Nandi Awards to Gaddar Awards. And not many responded to the CM’s
decision positively.
“It was not right to change the name of Nandi Awards to
Gaddar Awards. Whether one likes it or not, Gaddar promoted Naxalism and fought
against the State. There could have been one award in his name. Nandi was an
ideal name without any controversy. Besides, the film industry has a powerful
caste and family lobby. And the awards always centred on these factors,” a film
producer said.
Andhra Pradesh should take concrete steps to prevent stampede at Tirumala, other temples
C R Gowri Shanker Follow on Twitter| Published: 9th January 2025 8:53 pm IST
Hyderabad: Second major stampede haunts Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
While one cannot blame Naidu for the Tirumala fiasco, but it has happened again during his tenure after the deadly July 14, 2015 stampede where 27 pilgrims had died and 20 injured.
The event was during Godavari Pushkaralu on the banks of the river Rajamahendravaram in Rajahmundry. It will certainly give the Opposition a stick to beat the TD led NDA government in Andhra Pradesh.
The stampede for Vaikunta Ekadasi dwaram darshan tokens has
left six persons dead and 48 injured. The injured are undergoing treatment in
Sri Venkateswara Ramnarain Ruia Hospital and SVIMS.
Tragically, the dead include five women and one male. A
woman from Tamil Nadu who had fallen sick, Mallika, 49 died due to suffocation
and ill health, according to preliminary investigation.
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam had announced 1.20 lakh tokens for Vaikunta
Ekadasi, considered auspicious for darshan of Lord Venkateswara Swamy on
January 10 to 12.
Not an isolated case
The stampede in the temple town of Tirumala is not an isolated case. Such incidents have been happening over the years at major temples and other events across the country due to the rush of pilgrims, visitors. The main reason is mismanagement. The last incident in Andhra Pradesh took place in Rajamahendravaram during the tenure of Naidu.
Preliminary investigations in Tirumala stampede revealed a
woman devotee Mallika, suddenly fell ill while waiting in the queue at one of
the token counters at Bairagipatteda Park and the security guard opened the
gate for taking her to hospital. Meanwhile, the crowds waiting outside took
advantage of the opening of the gate and rushed inside leading to stampede.
The overwhelming crowd at the counters, including Vishnu
Nivasam, Bairagipatteda, and Ramachandra Pushkarini, led to chaos as the
arrangements were reportedly not adequate.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu ordered an inquiry and
asked the Chairman of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams Trust Board, B.R.
Naidu to ensure medicare and succor to the injured.
While B R Naidu regretted the incident and promised all help
to kin of the dead and injured, Bhanu Prakash Reddy, a TTD board member said 91
counters were opened for the distribution of tokens which was to commence on
Thursday morning.
“This has never happened in TTD’s history. I apologise to
devotees. We will conduct an inquiry and take serious action and stand by the
victims and injured,” he said.
Temple authorities had decided to deploy around 3000
policemen in Tirumala and Tirupathi for the event.
Pushkar fiasco
When Chandrababu Naidu was CM and went to undertake a holy
dip at Pushkar Ghat in Rajamahendravaram on July 14, 2015 there was a rush of
pilgrims and in the process 27 pilgrims died in the stampede, mostly women and
children.
An inquiry was ordered and the government then announced
ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh each to kin of the dead and free medicare to the
injured.
Then Opposition leader Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy blamed Naidu for the deaths alleging that it was “a bit of a gimmick and publicity stunt” by CM Naidu in taking holy dip at a public Pushkar Ghat instead of one earmarked for VIPs. He demanded CM to do soul searching and resign.
In fact, stampedes at major temple festivities have been
happening over the years. The last being on March 31, 2023 when 36 people were
killed when a slab constructed on top of an ancient well collapsed during
a havan programme held during Sri Rama Navami at a temple in
Indore.
On January 1, 2022, 12 people died and several injured in a
stampede at famed Mata Vaishnava Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir due to sudden
rush.
