With criticism mounting from various sections over alleged ‘deliberate’ exclusion of people’s poets from Telangana like Andesri, Goreti Venkanna and Jayaraj, who played a key role in the Telangana movement, the Chief Minister tried to control the damage by praising these poets in his inaugural speech at the WTC.
Referring to Goreti Venkanna’s songs Galli Chinndi Gareebolla Katha Peddadi that describes the lives of poor people, the Chief Minister said Venkanna enriched the Telangana dialect with such haunting numbers. “He writes in a simple and people’s language effortlessly,” he said.
He also referred to Venkanna’s another number Santha Maa Voori Santha in which he talks about the weekly village markets and said such numbers bring tears to his eyes.
Mr. Rao did not leave the opportunity to praise Andhesri’s Jaya Jayahe Telangana and said it reflected the richness of Telugu in its own style. The song, which was a regular feature in all the programmes during the Telangana movement, was considered to be the official State song, but somehow the government did not take a call on it.
He also mentioned the Vanamma Vanamma Okasaranna Vachi Pove Vanamma by folk singer Jayaraj, who is said to have gotten just an oral invitation. He said the song exposed how farmers pray for rain. However, Mr. Rao also apologised for not mentioning the names of several other poets in his speech.
Telugu lovers, who attended the conference in large numbers, were surprised at the omission of late Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao’s name, who is considered responsible for removing the Madrasi tag from Telugus and giving them their real identity. No speaker, including the Chief Minister and Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu, mentioned his name while Mr. Naidu praised the former Prime Minister, P.V. Narasimha Rao, for his contribution to Telugu language and literature.
