Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju visited homes of freedom fighters in Tiruchi and Nagapattinam districts and memorials as part of Central government’s ‘Azadi 70 Saal’ (Freedom 70 years) programme organised to recall the sacrifices of freedom fighters.
Mr. Raju, who arrived Tiruchi on Saturday, went to Erukkur near Sirkazhi in Nagapattinam district on Sunday and paid floral tributes to freedom fighter Neelakanta Brahmachari in the latter’s home. Mr. Raju spoke to the near ones of the freedom fighter and later left for Tiruchi.
He went to the house of freedom fighter Va.Ve. Subramaniya Iyer at Varaganeri in Tiruchi and paid floral tributes to the portrait. He went around the house which has been converted as a memorial and was explained about the life of the freedom fighter. Thereafter, he went to the war memorial at Gandhi Market and paid homage. The memorial was raised in memory of 41 soldiers who died in World War – I. He visited the Gandhi Asthi Mandapam at Puthur and paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi. Later, he went to the Salt Satyagraha memorial stupi.
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Later, Mr. Raju told reporters that in the 70 year of independence the Central government had asked Union Ministers to fan out across the country and honour the memory of those who sacrificed their lives during the freedom struggle. The objective was to remember freedom fighters and pay homage to them besides motivating the younger generation of values, he said. District level BJP functionaries accompanied him.