Jinnah Tower in Guntur Painted Tricolor by YSRCP Govt Amid BJP's Demands to Rename It

The Jinnah Tower in Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur district was painted in tri-color on Wednesday by the ruling YSRCP government amid growing demands from the BJP to rename the pre-independence era monument. Guntur East MLA Mohammad Musthafa, who has been looking after the renovation of the tower, said necessary arrangements were also being made to hoist the national flag near the tower.

“Muslim leaders fought against the British during the freedom struggle. After Independence, some Muslims left India & settled in Pakistan. But we wanted to continue to live in our country as Indians & we love our motherland,” the MLA said.

This development comes days after several members of the Hindu Vahini Sena were detained on January 26 for raking up ‘communal sentiments’ by trying to hoist the national flag on the tower. For some time now, the BJP and other Hindu organisations have been demanding that the Jinnah Tower, a pre-Independence era monument in Guntur, be renamed. They threatened to demolish the structure if the Jagan Mohan Reddy government did not pay heed to their demands.

Following this, the Guntur civic authorities fenced off the Jinnah Tower and police posted to prevent any untoward incidents that could potentially flare up communal tension.

The Jagan Mohan Reddy government had condemned the BJP and questioned why they didn’t rename the tower when they were in alliance with the TDP government back 1999-2004 and 2014-2018.

Meanwhile BJP Leader Vishnu Vardhan Reddy said YSRCP govt is trying to paint their sins after the Jan 26 violence, and reiterated that the party remains firm that the tower, erected in the honour of Pakistan founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah during his visit to Guntur along with Mahatma Gandhi before independence, should be now renamed late President APJ Abdul Kalam

The saffron party in the past had also threatened to raze the tower if its demands were not met.

However the ruling YSRCP government has ruled out any proposal to rename the tower and lashed out at the BJP. “BJP must focus on helping the poor rather than creating a Hindu-Muslim divide over a national monument and provoking communal clashes,” Musthafa said.

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