Jagjivan Ram memorial at Amaravati, says Naidu

In his tribute, he says the late leader did not compromise on values and ethics, and opposed Emergency.

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Minister R. Kishore Babu paying floral tributes at the statue of Babu Jagjivan Ram on his birth anniversary, in Vijayawada on Tuesday. PHOTO: V. RAJU

After announcing a 125-feet statue of Ambedkar, the State government doled out another sop of constructing a memorial and bhavan as a mark of respect to Babu Jagjivan Ram.

The memorial and Jagjivan Ram Bhavan would be constructed at Amaravati, said Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu while participating in the 109{+t}{+h}birth anniversary celebrations of Jagjivan Ram here on Tuesday. Mr. Naidu said that the people still remember Jagjivan Ram though he was born a century ago. It was solely due to his deeds and commitment for uplift of the downtrodden.

He did not compromise on values and ethics, and opposed Emergency. TDP founder president N. T. Rama Rao was close to Mr. Jagjivan Ram, he recalled.

It was the TDP that honoured Jagjivan Ram. A statue was installed at Basheerbagh in Hyderabad and Jagjivan Ram Bhavan was constructed for the welfare of Dalits. Taking forward the Telugu Desam’s commitment to Dalits, the government would construct a memorial and bhavan at Amaravati. The posterity should take inspiration from him, he said.

Listing the Telugu Desam’s efforts for the welfare and development of Dalits, the Chief Minister said the TDP government was the first to introduce reservations in promotions.

The TDP played a key role in election of K R Narayanan as President of India. GMC Balayogi, a Dalit leader, could become Lok Sabha Speaker because of the TDP’s philosophy and efforts. Another leader — K. Pratibha Bharati — was made Assembly Speaker during the TDP regime, he recalled.

Quality education

Mr. Naidu said that the government was determined to provide quality residential education to Dalit students on a par with the corporate schools. The government would also encourage the sports talent in Dalit students. The TDP wants the Dalits to shine on the global arena, he said. Later, he presented Dalit Ratna awards to P. Chinna Koteswara Rao, P. George Victor, Ravindra Varma, P. Venkateswara Rao, P. Srinivas Rao, Aluri Rajesh, D.Syam Sunder, M. Prabhu Kumar, Veeraiah.

The Chief Minister gave away post-matric scholarships and inter-caste marriage certificates.

Ministers R. Kishore Babu and D. Umamheswara Rao, MPs K. Narayana Rao and M. Venkateswara Rao (Babu), Mahila Commission Chairperson N. Rajakumari, Housing Corporation Chairman Varla Ramaiah, SC Corporation Chairman Jupudi Prabhakar, MLAs T. Sowya and B. Umamaheswara Rao, and Mayor Koneru Sridhar spoke.