Jinnah Tower will be developed as an iconic centre in the city, said Municipal Commissioner Nishant Kumar on February 23. The Commissioner was speaking after inspecting works relating to construction of a 60ft tall flag pole. The Guntur Municipal Corporation has already erected a 40ft flag pole and unfurled the tricolour earlier this month.
Responding to concerns that the existing flag pole had been removed, the Commissioner said that a 60ft flag pole would come after laying of a strong foundation.
The Jinnah Tower is an iconic structure erected in the year 1945 in the name of Md. Ali Jinnah by his friend, Lal Jan Basha in Guntur. Over the years, the Tower erected in a commercial centre has been an enduring symbol of communal harmony but controversy erupted this January, when some members tried to unfurl the national flag on the Republic Day. Within hours, the BJP leaders started tweeting that the Jinnah Tower should be renamed. Though the police foiled the attempts of some persons to unfurl the tricolour, the issue stoked a controversy with the YSRCP condemning the move and said that there was no need to rename the tower.
Days later, the YSRCP leaders unfurled the national flag. Home Minister M. Sucharita said that BJP has been trying to play communal politics in the State.
