Imbibe Alluri’s moral values: Ganta

First official celebration of Alluri birth anniversary kicks off. It was just two days ago that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu announced that Alluri’s birth anniversary would be celebrated as a State function and arrangements quickly made at the village, like giving a fresh coat of paint to Alluri’s statue and the house.

Minister for HRD Ganta Srinivasa Rao taking out the essay that won first prize in the essay compeitiotn for school children held on the occasion of 117th birth anniversar of revolutionary Alluri Sitaramaraju at Pandrangi in Padmanabham mandal of Visakhapatnam district on Friday. Photo:C.V.SUBRAHMANYAM

For more than 15 years Alluri Sitarama Raju’s birth anniversary is celebrated in this village in Padmanabham mandal with the rest of the State not giving much attention except during 1998 when the then Governor Krishan Kant unveiled a statue of the revolutionary and addressed a meeting. Three years later the house where Sitaramaraju was born was renovated and it is still in a good shape.

It was just two days ago that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu announced that Alluri’s birth anniversary would be celebrated as a State function and arrangements quickly made at the village, like giving a fresh coat of paint to Alluri’s statue and the house. Competitions were held for school children and some schools presented cultural programme during the function.

Minister for HRD Ganta Srinivasa Rao said the Chief Minister was quick to pass orders and said works worth Rs. 25 lakh would be started soon and completed by the next anniversary to erect a bronze statue, convert the house into a museum, etc. Alluri’s life an inspiration to the people and would be included in the syllabus of schools, he said. There was a need to imbibe moral values in children who were becoming machines that study their text books and note books from morning to night, he said.

MP of Visakhapatnam K. Haribabu said Alluri’s role in independence struggle was different from others as he organised Girijans who were being exploited by the British. Former minister R.S.D.P.A.N. Raju presided. Collector S. Solomon Arokia Raj, Joint Collector Pravin Kumar, Sarpanch of the village R.S. Vajrakumar Raju, former MLA U.V. Ramana Murthy Raju, ZPTCs elect Damodar Rao, S. Appa Rao and Nookaraju, RDO Murali and others participated.

Mr. Srinivasa Rao assured the villagers that a bridge across the Gosthani near the village to reach Padmanabham would be constructed soon.

At Makavarapalem, Minister for Panchayati Raj and RWS Ch. Ayyanna Patrudu and Anakapalle MP M. Srinivasa Rao garlanded a statue of Alluri Sitaramaraju and wanted airport at Visakhapatnam named after him.