The 116 birth anniversary of the champion of tribal rights and freedom fighter Alluri Seetaramaraju on Thursday saw leaders garland his statue and pay their respects. However, on the other hand, tribal people from the district, staged a dharna in protest against violation of their rights. Tribal people under the banner of the Girijana Hakkula Parirakshana Aikyakaryacharana Committee staged a dharna at the Collectorate and later submitted a memorandum to District Collector V Seshadri on Thursday.
Leaders of different ST welfare associations pointed out in their memorandum that on June 17, Tribal Welfare Minister P Balaraju and BC Welfare Minister B Saraiah had distributed house site pattas to 299 non-tribals in Balaram village in Koyyuru mandal which is a part of the Visakha Agency area.
Tribal people protest
They expressed shock at the government move which was in gross violation of the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution and also 1/70 Act of the State government. They wanted the government to take immediate steps to nullify the transfer and take steps to protect the rights of tribal people. Among the signatories to the memorandum were Jarra Appa Rao of Andhra University, A Simhachalam and Lake Chitti Babu of Girijana Aikya Vedika, B Suban of ST Students Organisation and V Thirupathi Rao of Girijana Sangam.
At the statue of Alluri Seetaramaraju on the Beach Road, Andhra University Vice Chancellor G S N Raju, Registrar Ramamohana Rao, Rector Ganapathy paid floral tributes and recalled the selfless service of the freedom fighter who led the Rampa rebellion in 1922 against the British.
Leaders from the BJP, including city incharge president B Lakshminarayana, member of State executive Prakash Reddy, former city president Nagender and others paid floral tributes at the statue. Another group of leaders also paid tributes at the statue of the freedom fighter at Seethammadhara.
The CPI district unit, which has been observing the day by garlanding the statue for the last five years, paid floral tributes to the freedom fighter popularly known as ‘Mannem Dora.’ CPI State leader JVSN Murthy, M Pydiraju, B Markendeyulu, Puli Sambasiva Rao and other local leaders were present.
