Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], August 9 (ANI): Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy paid tribute to Telugu poet and activist Gaddar on his third memorial day on Sunday.
The Chief Minister attended a commemorative programme organised by the Gaddar Foundation in Hyderabad, which brought together a large number of people to remember Gaddar’s ideas, his lifelong commitment to Telangana and the challenges facing the present generation.
According to the Telangana Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), revolutionary Telugu poet and activist Gaddar dedicated his life to Telangana and the rights and dignity of oppressed communities, alleging that former Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) and K.T. Rama Rao (KTR) failed to give him the respect he deserved. The CMO stated that Gaddar’s legacy continues to raise important questions about the gap between political rhetoric and a genuine commitment to social justice.
The political debate in Telangana has further intensified following the recent visit of Prakash Ambedkar, grandson of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. Questions regarding the earlier promise of appointing a Dalit Chief Minister have once again come into focus, with opponents questioning the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leadership’s track record on Dalit empowerment.
The controversy has also raised questions surrounding political outreach to Dalit leaders, debating whether such engagements are driven by genuine respect or electoral calculations.
According to Telangana CMO, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy is giving Gaddar’s legacy a place in public life and governance, with a stated emphasis on social justice, welfare, and dignity for disadvantaged communities. According to Telangana CMO, remembering Gaddar is not merely about paying tribute to the past, but carrying forward the core values of equality, self-respect, and social justice that shaped his life and the aspirations of the separate statehood movement.
Gaddar (Gummadi Vittal Rao) was a revolutionary Telugu poet, folk singer, and activist. Born on January 31, 1949, in Toopran, Medak district, he extensively used music and lyrics to fight against caste oppression, landlord tyranny, and social injustice, playing a massive role in the separate Telangana statehood struggle. (ANI)
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