The distribution of Bathukamma sarees to women’s groups and tribal communities in six districts of Telangana has been interrupted.
On the 6th of this month, sarees were provided by the State Handloom Cooperative Society to women in Adilabad, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Kumram Bheem Asifabad, Mahbubabad, Mancherial, and Mulugu districts as part of the Bathukamma festival celebrations. The distribution of these sarees was halted due to the imposition of the election code during the BRS rule.
The sarees, which originally featured photos of former Chief Minister KCR and Minister KTR, were rebranded under the ‘Telangana Women Sarees Distribution Scheme’. Stickers with the photos of the current Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and Minister Tummala Nageshwar Rao were placed over the original images, and the sarees were redistributed to the respective districts.
On the 7th of this month, the saree distribution began in the six districts. However, many women quietly voiced their concerns, noting that the sarees appeared identical to those distributed by the previous KCR government. They questioned the point of merely changing the name and photos on the packaging.
There has been growing discontent at the distribution centers, with some openly criticizing the authorities for not distributing sarees to everyone during the Bathukamma festival. Since the sarees were distributed in only six districts, the government decided to halt further distribution, fearing backlash from the remaining 27 districts.