Congress condemns demolition of statues of Nehru, Indira and Rajiv Gandhi at Gannavaram

The Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) slammed the demotion of the statues of former Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi at Modu Bommalu Centre in Gannavaram constituency.

“We strongly condemn the demolition of the statues under the pretext of road expansion. These great leaders not only led India to Independence, but also steered the country onto the path of development,” APCC president Y.S. Sharmila posted on ‘X’. She said targeting such national icons for political reasons and removing their statutes is disgraceful. “This is unbecoming of the coalition government,” she said.

Ms. Sharmila demanded that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu take immediate action and get the statues reinstalled within 24 hours at the same location. “The Congress is not opposed to development. But if development is used as a cover to erase the legacy of great leaders, we will not remain silent,” she warned.

AICC incharge for AP Congress Affairs Manickam Tagore also condemned the demolition. “This is not governance. This is political vandalism. We condemn it strongly,” he posted on X.

AICC member Sunkara Padmasri, who visited the place, condemned “the act carried out without informing the Congress.” Pointing to the statue of Jawaharlal Nehru, which was uprooted from the pedestal and dumped in an adjacent vacant panchayat land, she said it was unfortunate that the leaders who laid down their lives for the country were treated in such degrading manner.